Every NFL season usually has a few Head Coaches under the hot seat from either another bad year in a rebuild, face another year of disappointment or just under it for no clear reason. This will list off a few of the obvious ones but some that should be taken into consideration.

To name a few honorable mentions whether it’s for 2024 or they could be one but I personally don’t buy it.

– Dallas Cowboys: Mike McCarthy!

Everyone talks about it like nonstop where why should he be there? Cowboys fans complain to the moon on or just for the crazy expectations they placed on themselves? Games are won & lost with him or not & the team has a long leash with their HCs like Jason Garrett.

– Detroit Lions: Dan Campbell!

While he has his players putting in the effort to compete but I’m seeing some pressure that could be building in the Motor City. Last year, they knocked on the door to make the playoffs. This year, they got to kick the S.O.B. down. Aaron Rodgers is no longer in Green Bay, even though the Lions swept them last year, the Bears are boom or bust & Vikings are going to have to learn another new defense again. While I would say making the playoffs is their goal but that division is more open this year.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Todd Bowles!

A team that made the playoffs despite having a losing record, which is the 1st time Tom Brady has one in his 22 year career. With Brady gone, I have major doubts the team will make the playoffs again. Baker Mayfield was just bad to watch in Carolina & LA (Rams), Offensive line looks to have regressed where I can’t see a good run game for them & can Evans and Godwin be productive with Mayfield throwing to them? Defense is alright but I doubt they can hold games close like they did last year.

2. New Orleans Saints: Dennis Allen!

It was a night & day comparison how badly the Saints missed Sean Payton last year. You would think he learned well enough after being under Sean Payton for years but it wasn’t the case. Jameis Winston went from a decent QB under Payton to convert back into a pastry chef with all the turnovers he served up before going with Andy Dalton for the rest of the season with inconsistent results. Now that he has his old friend from Oakland/ Las Vegas with Derek Carr from 2014 by his side again, is he going to be fix the offense? The NFC South is a toss up on who wins it in 2023. They shouldn’t blow it.

3. Washington Commanders: Ron Rivera!

The Commanders have been mediocre at best & dysfunctional at worst and I’m not talking about their front office this time since Dan Synder is on his way out. The team under Rivera has been really disappointing that they aren’t bad enough to get a top draft pick but not good enough to be a playoff contender. The QB Carousel that hasn’t been solved and shaky O line with some talented playmakers. Defense that’s been meh from their 2020 season making the playoffs. They have some bright spots with Daron Payne & Jonathan Allen. I wish I can say Chase Young but he’s been injury prone in the last 2 seasons and didn’t pick up his 5th year option. Now that the team is going have 2nd year 5th Round QB from UNC Sam Howell as their starter, he has to step up or the team will find replacements for the HC & QB

4. Las Vegas Raiders: Josh McDaniels!

It’s amazing how 1 change at the HC position can affect a team that made the playoffs a year ago. Blown leads & failure to finish games for most of the year. I have a hard time seeing how the Raiders improved their defense even after releasing their franchise QB where I don’t know if a great QB can even manage to lift them to relevance. With no Derek Carr who was the team’s best QB in the last 20 years & a great uncertainty with Jimmy Garoppolo’s foot, this will be a rough year for the Raiders as they may be going back to square 1 on finding their next franchise QB.

5. Atlanta Falcons: Arthur Smith!

When I saw the Falcons hire him back in 2021, I thought it made a little sense to have Matt Ryan to give him a good offensive mind at HC with having TE Kyle Pitts since he was a TE coach for the Titans but after trading off Matt Ryan and year with Marcus Mariota at QB, it makes no sense to me. He’s been mostly mediocre as a HC whether it’s on him or not. It amazes me how Kyle Pitts hasn’t gotten going for the team since Arthur Smith was a TE coach that got the most out of Jonnu Smith. The surges to having a 7-10 record for 2 straight seasons is showing nothing but stagnation. The fact that they can compete for a very wide open NFC South with 2nd year 3rd Round QB from Cincinnati in Desmond Ridder is mind baffling. They have to hope it works.

6. Cleveland Browns: Kevin Stefanski!

It shows that 2020 was just a fairytale season for the team since they reverted back into the team we know and love that rotates QBs like they are a deck of cards and has a questionable coaching. Nick Chubb has been the man for their entire offense before & since Kevin Stefanski arrived. Defense has been extremely inconsistent as a whole outside of Edge Rusher Myles Garrett. Now that he has Deshaun Watson as his QB for 2023, his excuses are over. They got to make it back to the playoffs again or they’ll be looking for their next HC to work with Watson.

7. New York Jets: Robert Saleh!

I already talked about Saleh in my Aaron Rodgers Jet Ride article with how he’s the hot seat. I suggest you read that article on why he’s on the hot seat.

8. New England Patriots: Bill Belichick!

I had posted up on my Twitter weeks before the rumors came out that he was on the hot seat for the lack of offense from the deconstruction that was brought in through free agency & the draft from Bill himself since he’s also the GM as well. The defense has their up & down moments but the offense has been their dead weight since 2020. Before you say 2021, look at that season after the 3 pass attempt game from Mac Jones against the Bills in Buffalo, a nasty fall from 1 seed to Wild Card team at the 6th seed to get destroyed by the Bills 47-17. Cam Newton & Bailey Zappe as possible answers at QB and randomly throwing a monkey wrench in the machine of Mac Jones’ development with Matt Patricia calling offensive plays along with having him work with Ju-Ju Smith Schuster & Davante Parker as his WR 1 and 2 for 2023. This team is a mess.

9. Los Angeles Chargers: Brandon Staley!

This one will have you scratch your head on why he’s on the hot seat. He’s 19-15 as a HC for the team since 2021 with no losing season so far. He was one of the sexy hires after 1 year with the Rams as their defensive coordinator with the 1st ranked scoring defense and not only were his defenses in the last 2 years were awful but the aggressive play calling had the team play Russian roulette on whether they’ll win or lose games on a weekly basis. Let’s not even get to the 27-0 blown lead against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the playoffs last season in the Wild Card Round. Most of his wins in spite of Justin Herbert making him & GM Tom Telesco look good. It’s like watching Andrew Luck making Chuck Pagano & Ryan Grigson look good in Indianapolis all over again. He needs to have the team win it all this year if he wants to stick around.

10. Baltimore Ravens: John Harbaugh!

Before you say this is a reach, what has Baltimore been since Lamar Jackson took over as the Ravens starting QB, it’s been similar to what Peyton Manning was labeled early in his career. Great in the regular season but dreadful in the playoffs. The Ravens have been firing & hiring coordinators for the years they didn’t make far in the postseason. Harbaugh was on the hot seat before in 2018 with Joe Flacco at QB before they transition to Lamar Jackson that paid off by keeping his job. All I’m saying is that something needs to happen in 2023 because they are going to need to do something to shake things up.

Let us know on Twitter @WeLikeSportzPC what you think.

– Jonathan Misak

*Photo courtesy of Twitter*