Todd Haley Rumors: 5 Candidates That Could Replace Embattled Haley This Season

If he wasn't already, Todd Haley will be on the hot seat following the Kansas City Chiefs' blowout loss to the Detroit Lions. The loss comes after a similarly terrible result in Week 1, when the Buffalo Bills walked into Arrowhead Stadium and crushed the Chiefs.

The second straight big loss comes on the heels of a Pro Football Talk report that Haley's job was in jeopardy.

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If Chiefs coach Todd Haley was on the hot seat heading into Week 1, there are probably some Kansas City fans ready to turn that hot seat into an electric chair after Sunday’s debacle against the Bills.

“We were bad,” Haley said. “We were bad from start to finish. I am taking 100 percent responsibility for our team not being able to be ready to go. You can point the finger right at Todd Haley.”

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With that in mind, here are five candidates to replace Haley if he is indeed relieved of his duties in the near future.

After leading the Chiefs to the playoffs last season, it would be quite a turnaround to fire the head coach this early into the next season. However, that's the nature of the beast in today's NFL.

Romeo Crennel

Romeo Crennel is currently the defensive coordinator for the Chiefs after spending four years as the Cleveland Browns head coach. He would be a good stopgap option for the rest of the season and, if the results are positive, they could name him to the full-time position.

It would be a tough situation for Crennel, though, who was never given enough talent in Cleveland to succeed on a regular basis. The veteran coach is a defensive specialist, and without Eric Berry, the Kansas City defense lacks impact performers to make Crennel look good.

Russ Grimm

Russ Grimm was almost named the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers before the job was given to Mike Tomlin. He hasn't received any offers since that close call and is currently the Arizona Cardinals' assistant head coach and offensive line coach.

Grimm was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2010 after being named to four Pro Bowls during his playing career with the Washington Redskins. He has also won four Super Bowls as a player and coach. He would be a breath of fresh air in Kansas City.

Perry Fewell

Another strong defensive mind, Perry Fewell was the interim coach of the Buffalo Bills for seven games during the 2009 season. He wasn't retained following the season and moved on to become the New York Giants defensive coordinator.

He led a resurgence of the Giants' defense in 2010, as the unit allowed the second-least yards in the league. The results won't be nearly as impressive in 2011 due to injures, but Fewell is a laid back coach built in a mold opposite of Todd Haley, which would be a good thing for Kansas City.

Brian Billick

Brian Billick led the Baltimore Ravens to a victory in Super Bowl XXXV at the end of the 2000 season. He has served as an analyst for FOX and the NFL Network since being fired by the Ravens in 2007 and has never ruled out a return to coaching.

He remains one of the best football minds on the market, and any time a team can bring in a Super Bowl winning coach, the confidence around the team improves. Coaxing him out of his current gigs and back into the coaching ranks would be a tough task, but well worth a shot by Chiefs' management.

Gregg Williams

Gregg Williams had an unsuccessful stint as the Buffalo Bills head coach almost a decade ago, but the results were more due to a lack of talent than poor coaching. Williams has shown his great defensive prowess with the New Orleans Saints in recent seasons, helping the unit become the key to New Orleans' Super Bowl XLIV triumph.

Like Billick, Williams seems happy where he is, so the chances of getting him to sign on with a team in turmoil is remote. That said, he is probably the best option available right now, and as the old saying goes, “everybody has a price.”