6 NFL Head Coaches Already Feeling Heat for 2012 Hot Seat

The 2011 NFL season is at an end, and there have been some front office decisions at the conclusion that were inevitable after coaches had been on the hot seat for some time (firing Raheem Morris, Steve Spagnuolo and Tony Sparano). 

There were also some decisions made that I didn't see coming, like Norv Turner and A.J. Smith both staying in San Diego. That being said, there are six NFL head coaches who are already feeling the heat for 2012.

These head coaches will be on notice from day one of training camp next year. They must turn things around for their respective franchises or be held accountable for their inability to do so in 2012.

Mike Shanahan

Mike Shanahan has been on the hot seat all year long, but he has avoided the proverbial axe thus far, and I believe Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has made the right decision in keeping him for at least one more year.

Nobody is going to win many ballgames with Rex Grossman as their best option at quarterback. Nobody.

The Redskins need to draft one of the top quarterbacks with their first-round pick, and I won't be surprised it they try to move up the draft board to do it.

It's really too bad that Matt Barkley went back for one more year, or he'd be the ideal draft-day selection for the Redskins.

Shanahan has one of the better defenses in the NFL, but they need help. This isn't very different than the situation the San Francisco 49ers found themselves in for the last three years before Jim Harbaugh brought his winning ways. 

It is up to Shanahan and his staff to craft an offense that will complement their defense. They must get better quickly next year, or Shanahan will be out of a job before the 2012 season is up.

Rex Ryan

Rex Ryan should already be gone as head coach of the New York Jets, as far as I'm concerned.

He was an abject failure in 2011, and his rants and raves began to harden the hearts of even the most devout Jets fans.

The only way that Ryan will keep his job past 2012 is if he learns to keep his big mouth shut in the media.

He needs to quit giving his team a false sense of infallibility. He has come out every year and boldly proclaimed that the Jets will win the Super Bowl.

Perhaps a bit of humility is in order?

The Jets have some major improvements to make to be anywhere close to contending for a Super Bowl in 2012, and it starts at the top. Ryan and his staff need to improve their talent in the middle on both sides of the ball, or the team will continue to lose the battle in the trenches.

The formula for winning in New York used to be a punishing rushing attack plus a dominating defense, but neither were on display in 2011.

Ryan and the Jets need to refocus their energies into those two areas again, or Ryan will be out of a job.

Lovie Smith

The Chicago Bears have already made one bold move this offseason when they fired longtime general manager Jerry Angelo.

Lovie Smith is lucky he's still got a job at this point. 

You can't blame Smith for the injuries that plagued the Bears in 2011, but you have to admit he seems to have a good excuse every single year for the team's disappointments.

If the Bears fail to deliver the playoffs again in 2012, the Bears will be forced to consider starting over from scratch.

Heck, even now it's being rumored that Jeff Fisher's dream job would be to coach in Chicago, so it's not a stretch to assume Smith's seat is already hot.

The Bears have some work to do in the meantime to get things right. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz has already stepped down, so their offense will need to readjust to a new coach, which is never an easy task. 

Norv Turner

For the life of me, I can't understand the logic of keeping Norv Turner for yet another season in 2012, but that is exactly what the San Diego Chargers have done. 

Turner and the Chargers seem to have a good excuse every single year for being the worst team with the most talent not named the Dallas Cowboys. 

I've been on the Turner-hating bandwagon for years, though, and maybe I'm in the minority.

I just don't see Turner ever being the guy that will turn a franchise around. He's one of the best offensive minds of all time to have coached in the NFL, but he simply isn't a guy that players rally around when it matters most.

Looking into the future, 2012 will be the season for Turner to prove once and for all that he can or cannot lead a team into the promised land and win a Super Bowl.

If they fail to make the playoffs again next year, you can count on Turner finally getting fired for his inability to turn elite talent into a championship contender.

Pat Shurmur

Whether it's fair or not, Pat Shurmur is already on the hot seat for 2012.

The Cleveland Browns are smack dab in the middle of a rebuilding process, and that's a tough proposition for any team, let alone one that must try to survive in the brutal AFC North.

There are some tough questions ahead for Mike Holmgren, not the least of which is whether or not Colt McCoy is going to be their quarterback going forward.

Personally, I think McCoy could be serviceable for the Browns, provided they bring in some weapons for him to throw to. 

The biggest need for the Browns is at running back, and if they manage to acquire the services of a certain running back from Alabama, their fortunes might take a turn for the better in 2012.

If the Browns fail to improve upon their 4-12 record this year, it will be a short run for Shurmur in Cleveland. 

Andy Reid

Andy Reid was given a stay of execution this year, as the Philadelphia Eagles have said he will return as their head coach in 2012.

Owner Jeffery Lurie has also said that DeSean Jackson hasn't burnt his bridges in Philadelphia, either, which is a shock to me.

Whether Jackson is with the Eagles in 2012 or not, Reid still has a monumental task ahead of him to make the right moves this offseason so that he and his staff can build a team out of the elite talent on their roster. 

In my mind, the best way to do this would be to give Juan Castillo his old job back as the offensive line coach. Then, the Eagles can hire Steve Spagnuolo to come in and shape the Eagles defense into the unit everyone envisioned when the "Dream Team" was first assembled in late August.

You can guarantee that if the Eagles don't make some major improvements next year, Reid will finally find himself looking for work elsewhere. 

One final thought about the Eagles and Reid: I wonder when they will look to find Michael Vick's replacement. It's not like he's getting any younger, and he can't continue to take a beating like he does without some serious consequences.