NFL Coaches on the Hot Seat: Measuring Every Coach's Chances of Getting Fired
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, unless you’re an NFL coach. With 3 coaches already given a pink slip this year, there are sure to be more that will have a lot of time for vacation this Christmas. With the playoff picture clearing up in the next few weeks some coaches are preparing for the playoffs, some are preparing for next season and the others and preparing for life without a job. Here is every NFL head coach in order of how likely they are to be coaching again next season.
32. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
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This is about the only list that Bill Belicheck would be ranked last in anything, this, and if we did a ranking for funny press conferences. Three Super Bowl titles, four appearances, an undefeated regular season, and a bright future with 8 draft picks in the first 4 rounds next year. At this point in his career if he didn’t like the owner he was working for, I think he has the authority to fire him. He is going to be a Patriot as long as they’ll have him. Or as long as he’ll have them.
31. Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints
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As a defending Super Bowl champion, and the head coach of a team that resurrected an entire city, if he ever does get released from his duties as the Saints head coach he can just run for mayor of New Orleans and still be employed.
30. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Was winning with Charlie Batch as his quarterback, and their only losses have come to teams that will be in the playoffs. For a guy in only his 4th year of coaching, who made everyone forget about Bill Cowher, he looks like he will be in Pittsburgh as long as he wants. Think the Minnesota Vikings are still kicking themselves for letting him go while keeping Brad Childress?
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29. Mike Smith, Atlanta Falcons
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Hard to believe that this is the same team that had a coach quit on them and a quarterback, let’s say, lead them astray just a few years ago. Mike Smith has completely changed the image of this team and has them atop the NFC. If he doesn’t win coach of the year, that means it went to Bill Belichick.
28. Rex Ryan, New York Jets
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For a guy that makes a lot of jokes when his team is winning, he sure gets awfully quite when they lose. However, with that fresh contract extension, unless he somehow alienates the entire city of New York, he should be the head coach of the Jets for a long time.
27. Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles
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Did he save Michael Vick’s career or did Vick save Andy Reid’s? Either way they look like serious Super Bowl contenders and will be a force for the foreseeable future. Let’s just hope the Eagles season doesn’t hinge on Reid’s ability to use his challenge flag.
26. Tom Coughlin, New York Giants
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Even if the New York Giants lose out, I think he’s coming back next year. He seems to wear on his players, which could explain their inconsistent play. One more season without the playoffs and that Super Bowl victory is going to seem like a million years ago.
25. Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers
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He has done a wonderful job this year. He lost Nick Barnett, Ryan Grant, Jermichael Finely, and dealt with other various injuries during the year and has kept him team in the playoff race. Suddenly the Colts injuries don’t sound that bad anymore do they? McCarthy has been a terrific coach ever since he took over, hard to believe that his previous job was as a 49ers assistant.
24. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
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The Ravens had to have seen something in him to hire him over player favorite Rex Ryan a few years ago. He has this team running at a high level, he just needs to get his ground game running. The Ravens have the lowest rushing yards per game of likely AFC playoff teams, and for a ball control offense they better fix that quick or they might bring in someone else who will. Don’t I sound like a bitter Ray Rice owner?
23. Raheem Morris, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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From a guy that no one had heard of, to becoming one of the top young coaches in the NFL, His job is as secure as anyone’s. With Josh Freeman at the helm, and an emerging defense, the future looks sunny in Tampa. I don’t think Tampa Bay has any intention of letting this guy go anytime soon.
22. Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears
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Just when he looked like things couldn’t get any worse for him, he goes and pulls a stunt like hiring Mike Martz…and totally redeems himself! However, if the Bears end up not going to the playoffs, he'll probably even fire himself. If nothing else, he has given Jay Cutler his first winning season in football since High School, so he’s got that going for him, which is nice.
21. Todd Haley, Kansas City Chiefs
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Being a former pro golfer, don’t you have the feeling that he was the type of player that threw his clubs after every bad shot? No matter how temperamental he can get, he has his team winning. Fantastic running game and he is making Matt Cassel look like the one we saw in New England. His job is secure for at least one more year.
20. Steve Spagnuolo, St. Louis Rams
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The St. Louis Rams had 6 wins in their last 3 years combined. They currently have 6 wins this year with 4 games to go. He’ll have to get arrested for him not to be back next year, even then…
19. Mike Shanahan,Washington Redskins
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John Elway retired in 1998. Mike Shanahan is in his 11th season since he retired. He has won exactly one playoff game in that span. I’m still not sure why the Redskins wanted him so badly, but we’ll find out if they were right to sign him because with his contract he isn’t going anywhere for a while. He is the Nicholas Cage of the NFL, hasn’t done anything in years yet he keeps showing up everywhere.
18. Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks
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With the fat contract he received he isn’t going anywhere soon. In the NFL, "soon" means he will probably be on the sidelines at the start of next year, but after that.......
17. Jason Garret, Dallas Cowboys
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He has the Cowboys looking so good that he has everyone questioning whether or not he was giving Wade Phillips bad plays on purpose just to get Phillips fired. Jerry Jones loves Jason Garret which means Jason Garret isn’t going anywhere. Well, unless Bill Cowher or Jon Gruden want to come aboard.
16. Jim Caldwell, Indianapolis Colts
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Just by looking at his face you would have no idea how hot his seat would be. This team has had to deal with a lot of injuries this year plus the fact that Peyton Manning has looked like Jake Delhomme these past 5 games; you know when Delhomme was an adequate quarterback. Unless Peyton really wants him gone then he should be back next year. If coaching doesn’t work out, I'm sure he'd be a great poker player.
15. Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville Jaguars
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It's hard to believe this is his 8th year coaching the Jaguars. After a poor start he has the Jags atop their division this year. With one career playoff win and no division titles his seat is definitely not a cold one. With the way the rest of the AFC central is playing, if he can’t win the division this year, especially when Peyton Manning seems like he is throwing more picks than touchdowns, he is as good as gone. If he can’t do it this year you have to think it will never happen.
14. Eric Mangini, Cleveland Browns
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Just when we think he has it all turned around: a new stud running back, a possible QB of the future in Colt McCoy and an improving defense, he goes and starts Jake Delhomme and…. wins 2 straight? I personally would rather play anyone else they had on the practice squad, but if he proved he could string together wins with Delhomme as a QB then give him another season with an actual QB and see what he can accomplish.
13. Jim Schwartz, Detroit Lions
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Don’t be fooled by their record. Sadly, thanks to fantasy football, I have watched numerous Detroit Lions games this year and they have played competitively all year. Pretty impressive considering they had Shaun Hill as their quarterback most of the year. Schwartz could be a coach on the rise as long as Matt Stafford can make it though a season. Well that sounds like a reach; let’s see him make it through 5 games next year and go from there.
12. Tony Sparano, Miami Dolphins
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Would we even notice if he was fired? I don’t think, no matter how good your team is, that you could win with Chad Henne as your quarterback. Bill Parcells handpicked his coach and as long as the Big Tuna is around, you've got to think that Tony Sparano would be there. Just get Sparano a quarterback that he can win with soon, because Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are not getting any younger.
11. Tom Cable, Oakland Raiders
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Tom Cable has the Raiders looking like an NFL team again, playing hard, and winning games. He was able to make Darren McFadden one of the top running backs in the league and has now defeated the division favorite San Diego Chargers twice. Not to mention a spotless record within their division. If Al Davis didn’t fire Cable last year, there’s no reason to believe that he would fire him this year. Which now actually makes me think that Davis will fire him.
10. Norv Turner, San Diego Chargers
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A supposed offensive guru (although statistically he has the best defense), Turner has the Chargers out gaining every opponent. However, while possessing one of the highest rated passers in the league, he has still only managed a 6-6 record in one of the weakest divisions in the NFL. All this after coming off an upset loss in last year’s playoffs means someone is going to have to take the blame if the Chargers don’t make the post season this year, and I think we all know who it is going to be. (I also like the phrase: I'll give you a hint: his name rhymes with Burner, instead of the phrase "I think we all know who it is going to be") Just a thought.
9. Ken Wisenhunt, Arizona Cardinals
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What a difference a year makes or what a difference one player makes. Two years removed from a near Super Bowl victory, and the retirement of a Hall of Fame QB, Ken Wisenhunt has the Cardinals playing like, well the Cardinals that we’re all used too. His saving grace, other than his Super Bowl appearance, is that his team is about as talented as the Phoenix Cardinals on Super Tecmo Bowl. Try playing a full season with that team and winning, now you know what Ken Wisenhunt is up against.
8. Leslie Frazier, Minnesota Vikings
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So far so good for Leslie, as he has the Vikings at 2-0 under his watch. Although, don’t you have the feeling that all the Vikings players are playing better just because Brad Childress is gone? This team is in transition mode, so the jury’s out whether or not Frazier is the guy for the future. Most importantly they need a new quarterback. May I suggest a quarterback that can hand the ball off with precision to Adrian Peterson?
7. Eric Studesville, Denver Broncos
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Don’t even bother remembering this guys name (although he does have a catchy last name) he is not the Bronco's future coach. What makes this job a lucrative one is that the shoes of the former head coach are not big ones to fill. Losers of their last 17 of 22 games, add a videotaping scandal (and not the good kind) and the new coach just has to come in with a smile and a good attitude and he is already a huge upgrade. My most likely candidate is Jon Gruden. Remember how much he was gushing over Tim Tebow before the draft? I bet he would like the chance to coach him.
6. Jeff Fisher, Tennessee Titans
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Could 6 weeks of terrible football and one on-going feud with an overrated quarterback be the end of a terrific 17 years? Looks like it. This teams season has been exactly like a bad country song. They’ve had their head coach and starting QB (not too mention an owner favorite) Vince Young feuding all year. Chris Johnson, all of a sudden can’t run the ball, and then they go and add Randy Moss, a player whose teams have accumulated a combined record of 3-10 this season. This team will be looking for a new lead singer this off-season.
5. Chan Gailey, Buffalo Bills
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As a guy who was pretty much hired to be fired he is probably going to be back for one more year as the Bills figure out who their franchise QB is and then start with a new head coach in 2012. He's safe for that reason and because no good coach in their right mind would take a job with the Buffalo Bills right now.
4. Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals
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Not many guys, not even the reigning NFL coach of the year can survive a 9 game losing streak. Especially when you had almost the exact same team that won the division last year. NFL lesson to be learned: when you add Terrell Owens to any mix it will be volatile. Owen's contract should come with a warning similar to the ones on prescription pills. “Do not add with a team that can contend”. I bet Marvin Lewis wishes they would just fire him already just so he won't have to listen to his receivers anymore, namely Chad Ocho Cinco, but especially Terrell Owens.
3. Mike Singletary, San Francisco 49ers
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He would be higher on this list if the owner had any idea of how to run a football team. He is also too cheap to pay for a new head coach while still having to pay Mike Singletary. Although if the owner forgets about saving money and wants to win ball games then he needs winners. The 49ers can’t win with this guy. Can’t do it. You know how they say that motivational speakers are just guys that can speak well but can't cut it in the work world, well here’s your example.
2. Gary Kubiak, Houston Texans
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Gary Kubiak has built a team that is just good enough to break your heart. Seems like every year we pick them to make the playoffs, but it’s just not happening. The Texans are a team looking for their first franchise playoff appearance; it’s time to look elsewhere for the guy to take them over that hump. Hopefully they can get a guy who can close out games and knows a thing or two about defense.
1. John Fox, Carolina Panthers
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How hot is his seat? If hell were a temperature than that would be it. He is forced to try and win games with Jimmy Clausen as his quarterback. If that’s wasn’t tough enough try (without looking) to name one player on their defense. I can’t do it. Bill Belichick couldn’t even win with this squad. Fox has had a nice run and is a proven guy so he should land on his feet, it’s just time to part ways with this franchise. The Panthers and Fox are like a couple that went on vacation and realized they aren’t right for each other, they're both just waiting for it to be over so they can part ways.
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