There are no more safety nets for endangered coaches, nothing that can spare them the wrath of a disappointed owner. They either have a playoff team or a bitter disappointment, and there is rarely room for context in between.
And when owners get tired of hearing the boos and staring at empty seats, anything can happen near the end of a sad season. So don’t assume any coach is safe if their team is on the outside of the playoff picture, looking in.
Two coaches have already paid the price for failure this season. And there could be some surprises still to come. So with less than five weeks to go until Black Monday — the day after the end of the regular season — here’s the latest ranking of NFL head coaches on the hot seat.
7. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers (Previous Ranking: 7th)
The Steelers went absolutely all-in on a Super Bowl run this season, shelling out money for a veteran team to be led to the promised land by a 41-year-old quarterback. And unfortunately for them, it has not worked out thus far. Aaron Rodgers looks done, the Steelers’ once-proud defense looks terrible, and the whole team looks almost disinterested at times.
Tomlin is in his 19th season in Pittsburgh, and while the Steelers could still win the AFC North, they are 6-6 and the head coach is very much in danger of recording his first losing season. With all that as the backdrop, it’s impossible to ignore the rumors around the NFL that Tomlin and the Steelers might finally be headed toward a divorce. It was also impossible to ignore those “Fire Tomlin” chants at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Sunday, which might give ownership the cover to make that kind of big move.
Mike Tomlin’s career-length streak without a losing season is in jeopardy. Is his tenure in Pittsburgh also in danger of ending? (Photo by Ben Hsu/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
6. Pete Carroll, Las Vegas Raiders (PR: unranked)
Did it seem weird that Carroll fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly with six games left in an already lost season? That’s the kind of move an endangered head coach makes when he’s trying to sacrifice someone else to preserve his own job. Does it also seem strange that he’s stuck with a 35-year-old quarterback who has been mostly terrible, even though his team is 2-10 and probably should be looking toward the future?
It’s all just … odd, including the fact that the Raiders seem like a team in need of a rebuild — maybe even a long one — but have a 74-year-old head coach who wants (and needs) to win now. So if it seems unlikely a coach of Carroll’s stature would be fired after just one season … well, it is. But everything here feels off. And remember, these are still the Raiders, and Carroll’s contract is only for three years.
Pete Carroll’s first year in Las Vegas has been a disaster. Could it be his last? (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
5. Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals (PR: 5th)
There is almost no doubt that Joe Burrow is going to save Taylor’s job, even if he shouldn’t. Bengals ownership is going to be able to blame the team’s struggles on the fact that Burrow was out for most of the season. And they’re going to look so much better now with Burrow back that they’ll be sold on how they could become a contender next year.
The problem with that is, Taylor’s teams have been remarkable underachievers even when Burrow is healthy. They start slow, then scramble and look dangerous only when it’s too little, too late. A smart management team would point to Taylor’s 50-60-1 record, his two playoff berths in seven seasons, and the fact that his defense is the worst in the league, and move on. But the Bengals don’t often do the smart thing.
4. Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns (PR: 3rd)
The mess in Cleveland isn’t his fault. Most of the Browns’ issues can be laid at the feet of ownership, and it all traces back to the mother of all stupid decisions — the Deshaun Watson trade and ensuing extension. But Stefanski hasn’t exactly distinguished himself this season as a great offensive mind since neither of his rookie quarterbacks, Dillon Gabriel nor Shedeur Sanders, have shown much more than limited positive signs.
Stefanski hasn’t managed that situation well, either. And considering the Browns have one of the best defenses in the league, they probably should have a couple of more wins even with their quarterback issues. After six seasons, and with a 6-23 record over the past two years, it’s probably time for the Browns to hear someone else’s voice.
Kevin Stefanski is a two-time Coach of the Year winner. But he is hardly winning any games for the second year in a row. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
3. Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins (PR: 1st)
He looked like a dead man coaching at 1-6, but then a funny thing happened to the Dolphins: They’ve won four of their past five games. Granted, three of those wins were against the Falcons, Commanders and Saints, but stuck in there was also a surprising and impressive 30-13 win over the Bills.
The fact that owner Stephen Ross has already fired general manager Chris Grier still doesn’t feel like a great sign for McDaniel, though. A new GM likely will want to hire his own coach. McDaniel does still have a 33-30 overall record in his four seasons in Miami, including two playoff berths. Still, it’s hard to imagine a new GM will want to keep him unless Ross gives him no choice.
2. Jonathan Gannon, Arizona Cardinals (PR: 2nd)
It’s almost hard to believe, and to remember, that the Cardinals started this season 2-0. Since then, they’ve gone 1-9, including an active four-game losing streak. That just does not bode well for Gannon’s future in his third season at the helm with a miserable record of 15-31.
Two other things that don’t bode well for him: His defense has been generally terrible, and that was the expertise he supposedly brought to the job; and the franchise is almost certain to move on from Kyler Murray and start over with a new quarterback next season. The Cardinals may not want to give a rookie QB the keys to a franchise being coached by an obvious lame duck.
The Cardinals are going to finish at the bottom of the NFC West for the third time in three years under Jonathan Gannon. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
1. Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons (PR: 4th)
He has rocketed to the top of this list with six losses in seven games, despite having one of the most electric players in the NFL in running back Bijan Robinson. On the one hand, the stretch isn’t as bad as it seems. The Falcons took the Colts and the Panthers to overtime and only lost at New England by a point. On the other hand, they were blown out by the Dolphins, struggled to beat the Saints and blew a lead and lost to the Jets.
There is talent and potential on this team, but it just never seems well-coached. Morris is only in his second season, but with a 12-17 record, Falcons GM Terry Fontenot has to be wondering if the right man is leading the team he built.
Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He spent six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.
