Todd Haley & 3 NFL Coaches Who Won't Last the Season

The beginning of a new NFL season always signifies a clean slate and a fresh start for each team.  For some teams it's an opportunity to continue to build on past success and take it to the next level, for others it a chance to show the franchise has improved from the previous season and is ready to compete.

Unfortunately, as we all know, things don't always go as planned.  Teams that were good don't always stay good and teams that were bad don't always get better.  For the coaches of those teams that start off slow coming off of a bad season, it often means their job is put in jeopardy quickly.  Let's take a look at a few coaches whose jobs likely won't last through the 2011-2012 season.  

Todd Haley, Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs' head coach Todd Haley's job could already be in jeopardy just two games into the 2011 NFL season.  The unfortunate part for Haley is that he may not solely be responsible for his own fate.  Losing starting running back Jamal Charles and Pro-Bowl safety Eric Berry to season ending injuries will be extremely detrimental to Haley and the Chiefs' success.  Not having these two key players is going to make it hard for the already 0-2 Kansas City Chiefs to win ball games.

In Haley's defense he has a very young team which is now short-handed.  Let's not forget that he took a 4-12 team from his first season in 2009 and lead them to an improved 10-6 in 2010, including an AFC West title and a playoff birth.

Nonetheless, in order for Haley to stay around the team will have to at least show they can compete because in a few more blowouts this could be a done deal.

Tony Sparano, Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are 0-2 and once again talk of Tony Sparano's firing has commenced.  Sparano's quote in his press conference following the teams 23-13 loss to the Texans on Sunday was this: "It's baffling to me, it really is. I don’t have any answers for it. We’ve got to do a better job."  Admitting that he is baffled is not exactly the comment a franchise wants coming out its head coach.

With the team's demise quickening and the number of fans lessening with each home game, the team may have no choice but to look elsewhere for a coach.  Considering the team has already contemplated this decision in the past, don't be surprised if the move comes sooner than later.

Tom Coughlin, New York Giants

The New York Giants will enter their Monday night matchup with the St. Louis Rams 0-1 after losing their season opener to the Washington Redskins, a team which went 6-10 last year.  Although Coughlin's job may not be on the line just yet, the Monday night matchup with St. Louis is a must win for the Giants.  If the Giants lose to the Rams, they will be 0-2 heading into an away game against their conference rival Philadelphia Eagles and run a high risk of starting the season 0-3, which would strongly deflate their playoff hopes early. 

Having missed the playoffs in 2009 and 2010, a 2011 playoff berth is crucial to Tom Coughlin's future with New York.

Jim Caldwell, Indianapolis Colts

After losing Peyton Manning to injury for what could be the entire season, Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Caldwell is being put to the test and as of right now he is failing.  The Colts have begun their season 0-2 after being man-handled in Week 1 by the Arian Foster-less Houston Texans, and losing again in Week 2 to the not-so-good Cleveland Browns.

Since the Colts are without their heart and soul, playing sans Manning, Caldwell won't be expected to win many games.  However, if the team continues to get blown out and not compete, his job could be in jeopardy.  Caldwell and the Colts are going to have to squeak out at least a few wins.