NFL Analysis
11/15/24
8 min read
6 NFL Coaches On The Hot Seat After Brutal 2024 Seasons
Being a head coach in the NFL is the most challenging task anyone could take on. Not only do coaches have to manage a full staff and roster with plenty of personalities, but they have to answer to ownership. Winning is always a priority, but it's not as easy as calling the right play or making the right situational call.
Even established coaches can be at risk of being fired. Locker room dynamics, mismanaged rosters, and other factors that aren't public can push an owner to make a change. However, we're just looking at the six head coaches on the hot seat after their mistakes throughout the 2024 season.
We're not projecting that each of these coaches will be fired or that they should be. However, it's hard to say each hasn't had their rough patches this fall.
These six NFL head coaches better not get too comfortable. A bad ending to the season could bring changes to some of the most recognizable franchises in the sport.
NFL Coaches on Hot Seat
Doug Pederson, Jacksonville Jaguars 
The odds-on favorite to be the next head coach to be fired at multiple sportsbooks, Doug Pederson's star has faded quickly. His magical 2017 Super Bowl run with the Philadelphia Eagles seems to have been the product of a fever dream rather than some sustainable approach.
The Jacksonville Jaguars hoped Pederson was given a raw deal after being fired only three seasons following a title, but the Eagles were correct.
The Jaguars franchise has stagnated due to Pederson's lack of discipline, structure, and development. Despite spending more free agency dollars than all but one team, they're on pace to land the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. His offense ranks in the twenties for the fifth time in six years, so there's a broken process in place.
The biggest sin of Pederson can be argued, but it boils down to not getting more from Trevor Lawrence. Once an elite intermediate passer with the aggressive chops to overcome inconsistent accuracy, Lawrence has become a forgotten candidate to be a franchise star.
A new staff might unlock that ability, but we can confidently say that Pederson doesn't have the vision or ability to roll out a quality modern NFL offense.
Matt Eberflus, Chicago Bears 
The notion that the Chicago Bears offered Caleb Williams the best surrounding cast ever for a top rookie quarterback was ridiculous, even when it was floated this past offseason, but it looks especially silly now.
Matt Eberflus saved his job in the last stretch of 2023, as his defense saw considerable improvement after adding Montez Sweat. Instead of considering the weak opponents faced across that stretch, Chicago's brass gave Eberflus one more chance to hire a quality offensive coordinator and work with a revamped offense.
Unfortunately, it's all blown up in Chicago's face. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was as bad as Luke Getsy, and the decision to select Rome Odunze over a functional offensive lineman has left Williams running for his life each week.
Even Chicago's seventh-ranked scoring defense can be questioned since they've played Tennessee, Carolina, Jacksonville, Arizona, and New England.
With three straight losses and Williams struggling to find a rhythm, the Bears' decision will be relatively easy unless something changes quickly. Top candidates should flock to work with Williams, especially if the Bears cede front-office power to them.
Brian Daboll, New York Giants 
A strong tactician and play-caller, Brian Daboll is an example of a good coach who has been the victim of his and his regime's bad personnel choices.
Hitching his wagon to Daniel Jones, Evan Neal, Wan'Dale Robinson, and a host of other ineffective players could define his tenure. It'd be a shame because the New York Giants finally hit on some picks this last class, and adding a quality quarterback could swing the team's fate.
Can New York continue to be patient? The Giants have been incredibly hard to watch the last two years, ranking 30th and 27th in offensive scoring and 26th and 15th in defensive scoring.
The Maras are known to give their coaches a long leash, but they'll have to keep faith in Daboll's ability to develop a top quarterback prospect.
Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys 
Mike McCarthy deserves some credit for increasing his aggressiveness in recent years, even if the team's playoff destiny hasn't changed. McCarthy ranked as the seventh-most aggressive coach in 2023, bucking a trend where he would avoid any risk.
Winning 12 games for three straight years but failing to win a playoff game in two of those appearances has done little to change the minds of skeptics.
The Dallas Cowboys' rash of injuries, unwillingness to improve the roster, and failure to replace Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator destroyed their 2024 season. At 3-6 and without Dak Prescott for the foreseeable future, Dallas will focus on rebuilding for 2025. It's hard to imagine Jerry Jones sees McCarthy as part of that vision.
The 61-year-old has an impressive regular-season record but far too many postseason letdowns to justify. He's good at getting a team to a certain level of performance but not beyond it.
Dallas will always be a high-profile job that draws significant interest, so this feels like the right time for each party to step away from each other.
Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns 
Firing Kevin Stefanski would be a massive mistake for the Cleveland Browns. A two-time NFL Coach of the Year with a winning record through five seasons and 10 different starting quarterbacks, the Browns finally have someone who is a quality problem solver and can be a settling presence for a decade or two.
That type of longevity is rare, but Cleveland needs stability as much as any franchise.
However, the Deshaun Watson situation might be tenure-defining. There's already been public finger-pointing within ownership and the front office about who is truly to blame for the Watson trade and contract structure. Stefanski would be the least to blame for Cleveland's decision to move on from an injured and struggling Baker Mayfield in favor of Watson but not for continuing to play Watson.
It was clear in Week 1 of this season that Watson had lost his physical explosiveness and ability to throw downfield. While Stefanski might've been forced to keep trotting Watson out on the field, he could be the scapegoat for ownership if they double down on their expensive quarterback. It'd be a mistake, but Jimmy Haslem is prone to those.
Instead, Cleveland should give Stefanski the freedom to choose a rookie quarterback at the top of the 2025 NFL Draft and move on from offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey if he sees fit.
Cleveland can't give Stefanski an unlimited leash, but he needs enough freedom to show whether he can build a better situation than what we've seen in the Watson era.
Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals 
The Cincinnati Bengals haven't been a disaster under Zac Taylor, as the 41-year-old has helped bring the franchise out of the basement despite being hired as one of the youngest head coaches in NFL history in 2019.
He's won at least nine games in three straight years and entered this season with AFC Championship aspirations. However, it's fair to wonder if Taylor contributes enough to the Bengals or if he's just along for the Joe Burrow ride.
There's no question that head coaches can ride elite quarterbacks throughout their careers. Taylor has had to overcome some significant injuries to Burrow, and it's unfair to hold the Bengals' terrible rosters in 2019 and 2020 against him. We're not that far removed from Cincinnati's combined 22 wins in 2021 and 2022 and the AFC title game appearance in 2021.
The arguments for replacing Taylor are as compelling as those for keeping him, though. The Bengals are struggling in 2024, sitting at 4-6 with a league-average offense and subpar defense. It's the second year in a row that the offense has struggled, and it's the fourth year that the defense has been between average and outright bad.
From the Sean McVay tree, Taylor was supposed to be on the cutting edge of motion, making schematic adjustments, and creating an effective run game. Cincinnati's offense has never featured any of those and is too reliant on Burrow to make difficult throws. This franchise could do better to reach its ceiling.
