The calendar has moved past mid-November, meaning NFL teams have found their identity by now. Preseason expectations have been thrown out the window and teams are either preparing for the playoffs or the 2025 draft. Coaches have been in the news every day whether good or bad and for some, seats are getting warm. Let’s look at which coaches seats are heating up the most.
Mike McCarthy
Mike McCarthy, the 9th head coach of America’s team, is struggling mightily in his 5th season with the Dallas Cowboys. The team is 3-7 and has not won a game at home all season. Dallas fans are becoming restless and want a change at the head coaching position. General manager and owner Jerry Jones has adamantly said he will not fire McCarthy mid-season and has put his support in the head coach. However, superstar defender Micah Parsons was not so kind to McCarthy, saying in a press conference that “Mike can go anywhere he wants.” With Dallas losing quarterback Dak Prescott for the season and the rest of the quad not showing any progress, this season looks like a massive letdown. If the Cowboys cannot turn their season around it looks like Jones will be looking for a new head coach.
Zac Taylor
A few seasons ago, it looked like the Cincinnati Bengals were going to be the NFL’s team of the future and Zac Taylor was a young rising head coach. Three seasons later, this has all changed, as the Bengals sit at 4-7 and their season is falling rapidly. Star players Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are having career-best years on the offensive side of the ball but that has not translated to winning results. After their most recent loss against the Los Angeles Chargers, Chase told reporters in an interview to “ask Zac” when asked why this Cincinnati squad is unable to close out games. Taylor may not get fired this offseason, but his seat will certainly be hot heading into 2025.
Matt Eberflus
The Chicago Bears came into the season with lofty expectations after drafting generational prospect Caleb Williams with the first pick in the 2024 draft. They also added traded for Keenan Allen to boost the offense and extended defensive lineman Montez Sweat. Everything was looking up for the Bears, but they are currently on a four-game losing streak. Two of these losses came on the final play of the game due to questionable coaching decisions. Many thought Matt Eberflus would have been fired last season, but the organization decided to give him one more shot. Eberflus is not doing well with the last shot and appears to be heading out the door come January.
Brian Daboll
Brian Daboll is in an extremely uncomfortable position where he’s in the hot seat due to the team’s struggles, but they aren’t primarily his fault. Two offseasons ago, the front office decided to make a huge move by extending Quarterback Daniel Jones to an extension worth $40 million a year. Jones got the deal after his one good season in the league and has been horrible since then, leading the team to bench him earlier this week. The curious decisions from the front office continued last offseason when the team decided to let star running back Saquon Barkley walk, where he signed with the division rival Philadelphia Eagles. These decisions and the team’s poor play have led them to a 2-8 record with no plan. Daboll should not lose his job, as the team’s struggles are more due to the front office.
Doug Pederson
In 2021, the Jacksonville Jaguars went to the playoffs and won a game against the Los Angeles Chargers before losing a close one to the Kansas City Chiefs 27-20. This was one of the best seasons in franchise history, and with a young franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, the future was looking bright in Jacksonville. Flash forward three seasons later and Jacksonville looks like one of the worst teams in the league. They sit at 2-9 and Lawrence may miss the rest of the season with an injury. Even with Lawrence, he hasn’t looked great the team has struggled. The same issues that ended Pederson’s coaching career in Philadelphia are plaguing him again. The Jaguars plan to build their future likely without Lawrence and Pederson.