NFL Coaching Staffs on the Hot Seat This Season

The life of an NFL head coach is one of the most pressure-filled jobs among all professional sports. Coaches feel the hot seat almost immediately upon their arrivals, as media and fans scrutinize every move. The few given long-term flexibility tend to have the most success, but the instant-gratification nature of big business makes those opportunities rare.

The 2016 NFL season will determine the fate of several coaching staffs across the league. Poor performance for two or more seasons is a recipe for change. According to Donovan Rose of The Cauldron, an average of six head coaches have been fired each year since 2005. The average tenure of those coaches was just under three seasons.

We’ve identified six coaching staffs on the hot seat as this season nears. Will they flourish or fail? Make sure to leave your predictions in the comments section below.

Rex Ryan, Buffalo Bills

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When the Buffalo Bills hired Rex Ryan as their head coach, the move was ballyhooed as the controversial coach’s recent success brought hope to the Bills organization. His stint with the New York Jets had great peaks, including two AFC Championship Game appearances, but the low valleys that plagued his tenure have become a hallmark of his style. As the Bills look to end their 16-year playoff drought and explore a new stadium, they issued Ryan an ultimatum as he enters his second season with the team.

Per Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News, Ryan’s in a playoffs-or-bust 2016 season from owner Terry Pegula. The defensive-minded coach was supposed to make 2014’s fourth-ranked defense even better and propel this team into the postseason. But 2015 didn’t play out that way, as the defense regressed badly to 15th in points per game, and the Bills finished 8-8.

Making matters worse for Ryan was the lack of discipline throughout the roster. His teams have always struggled with penalties, and the Bills ranked 32nd in penalty yards per game. That’s unacceptable for a veteran coach to continually allow.

Offensive coordinator Greg Roman was by far the best coach for the Bills last year. He helped develop quarterback Tyrod Taylor into a viable starter and revitalized a power rushing attack that finished first in the NFL. If Ryan can’t deliver again in 2016, Roman may replace Ryan as head coach as he’s built a strong resume throughout his career.

Gus Bradley, Jacksonville Jaguars

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The Jacksonville Jaguars embarked on a difficult and lengthy rebuilding process when Gus Bradley was hired in 2013. Their talent level has been among the worst in the NFL, giving this coaching staff an impossible task of winning throughout the last three years. The 2016 offseason was spent augmenting this roster that showed promise last year, and expectations have risen greatly. 

How Bradley and this staff capitalize on the additions will define the 49-year-old head coach's time with the Jaguars. The lack of development on Bradley’s defense is alarming, as only linebacker Telvin Smith has shown considerable improvement since he took over. The offense has benefited from hiring coordinator Greg Olson last year, but Bradley’s lack of impact is disconcerting.

With a 12-36 record, the Jaguars boldly gave Bradley a one-year extension as a bid of confidence. It was only fair for the franchise to see this rebuild through with Bradley since he suffered from a painstaking process. He must quickly get this team into the playoff race and be more competitive.

Doing so should be easier now that 2015 first-round pick Dante Fowler, 2016 first-round pick Jalen Ramsey and 2016 second-round pick Myles Jack are on the roster. Those are impact-type playmakers who don’t need much development. Factor in free-agent additions Malik Jackson and Tashaun Gipson, it’s easy to see why this is a critical year for Bradley.

Mike McCoy, San Diego Chargers

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Through three seasons of his tenure with the San Diego Chargers, head coach Mike McCoy has had one playoff appearance and two 9-7 campaigns. A disastrous 4-12 season in 2015 caused an unease around his future, but the Chargers decided to force changes elsewhere. The biggest change for the coaching staff was replacing offensive coordinator Frank Reich with Ken Whisenhunt.

McCoy’s 22-26 record is more easily digestible when factoring in the injuries the team suffered last year. It’s not his fault that stalwarts like receiver Keenan Allen, cornerback Brandon Flowers and defensive end Corey Liuget ended the season on injured reserve. The offense also clearly struggled as the offensive line battled injuries throughout the season.

Assuming the general health of the team improves, the big concern for McCoy’s future lies with defensive coordinator John Pagano. The team chose to keep him despite the unit being troublesome and showing little development from young players. The Chargers spent considerable draft assets on the defense in the last two years, so McCoy’s decision to give him another season is something to watch.

The Chargers play in a deep AFC West division, including the Super Bowl 50 champion Denver Broncos. While the playoffs may not be necessary for McCoy and his staff to stay intact, finishing with the third-worst record isn’t acceptable, either.

Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals

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In 13 years in Cincinnati, head coach Marvin Lewis has been the leader for an organization that transformed from perennial bottom-dweller to consistent playoff participant. He’s had just three losing seasons since 2003, and the 57-year-old has clinched a playoff berth seven times. Yet, his 0-7 playoff record has created a warming temperature regarding his job status.

The Bengals are unlike any other franchise, as they rely heavily on their coaching staff in talent evaluation and acquisition. Not only has Lewis and his staff been able to build a strong pipeline of talent through the draft, the Bengals are never active in free agency. The margin for error for this staff is next to nil, and yet Lewis has seen the playoffs in five straight seasons.

Nevertheless, Bette Marston of Sports Illustrated reported that only a playoff win in 2016 would ensure Lewis’ tenure would continue. He’s on the hot seat, and the Bengals must achieve something they haven’t done since 1991. The Bengals did look primed to make a deep run last year before quarterback Andy Dalton injured his thumb late in the regular season.

With clear expectations set forth, how the Bengals respond will be a major storyline this season. The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are usually tough adversaries in the AFC North, and former offensive coordinator Hue Jackson won’t allow his Cleveland Browns to just roll over.

Jim Caldwell, Detroit Lions

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When the Detroit Lions entered their bye week at 1-7 last year, it seemed as though the embattled franchise would again be looking to find a new coaching staff. The bye week allowed head coach Jim Caldwell to promote Jim Bob Cooter to offensive coordinator and make some rotation adjustments. The Lions' 6-2 run to finish the season validated the preseason hype surrounding this team.

If that momentum doesn’t continue into 2016, then Caldwell won’t see a fourth season in Detroit. Per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, he’s under the microscope and must not underachieve once again this season. Even with a tough early-season schedule last year, the Lions often looked unprepared and overmatched, starting with the coaching staff.

The Lions do have a solid staff to rely on, though. Cooter revitalized an offense that scored less than 23 points only three times in nine games, and quarterback Matthew Stafford looked much more comfortable under his tutelage. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is also one of the higher-profile defensive minds in the NFL, known for creating complex schemes and maximizing available talent.

Caldwell knows this season is a crucial one, but he isn’t phased. According to Birkett, Caldwell is approaching this year as he does every season. He knows his job is always on the line, so there’s a constant sense of urgency. We’ll see whether he responds better this season than last.

Jeff Fisher, Los Angeles Rams

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As the Rams transitioned from being in St. Louis to Los Angeles and traded up for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft, they had the opportunity to overhaul the franchise’s leadership. Instead of finding a more exciting coach or a young upstart, the team decided to stay with head coach Jeff Fisher. Fisher’s career has been placated with mediocre results outside of six double-digit-win seasons in 21 years.

Those days have long passed, as Fisher’s had seven wins three times and six wins once with the Rams. Yet the team is working on giving him an extension, per Nick Wagoner of ESPN. 2016 is the final year of his contract, so maybe this is a vote of confidence to avoid lame-duck status, but it is incredible how he’s continued to last in the NFL with his track record.

Usually drafting a star quarterback in the first round buys more time for a regime, but as seen with Ken Whisenhunt and the Tennessee Titans in 2015, even that precedent has changed. Quarterback Jared Goff does represent an enormous upgrade from Case Keenum and Nick Foles for the Rams, so his impact should be considerable. If Goff does acclimate quickly to his new surroundings but the Rams stay mediocre, the writing should be on the wall for Fisher and his staff.

The NFC West is a difficult division to win as the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals have become legitimate Super Bowl contenders. But that cannot be a habitual excuse for any franchise, especially one that has been stuck in the same spot for half a decade. Fisher must at least have a winning record to survive his hot seat.

All stats used are from Pro-Football-Reference.com.

Ian Wharton is an NFL Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.

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