Life is nice for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lately. They’re as soon as once more the betting favorites to win the NFC South and are a darkish horse to come back out of the NFC this season. With the arrow pointing up as excessive as it’s, it is no shock to see the organization lock in its leaders, giving head coach Todd Bowles and common supervisor Jason Licht contract extensions. Whereas the Bucs solidified their basis, different golf equipment aren’t so fortunate.
A group of head coaches — for quite a lot of causes — may see their seats begin to expend as soon as the 2025 marketing campaign kicks off. Not like Bowles, their long-term safety will not be assured, and these coaches might want to not solely tread water however flip the tide this season with a purpose to stay at their posts. In the event that they’re unable to take action, they’re going to be despatched packing.
Listed below are the highest 5 coaches with the most popular seats getting into this season.
5. Sean McDermott
Sean McDermott’s tenure in Buffalo has largely been a hit. Accounting for normal season and postseason, he is tied for the second-most wins (93) by a head coach in his first eight seasons in NFL historical past. The Bills have received five-straight division titles and are coming off a 2024 marketing campaign the place they reached the AFC Championship (the second look within the McDermott period).
Nevertheless, that is the place the success has stopped. Below McDermott, Buffalo has been unable to recover from the hump, win the convention and advance to the Super Bowl with the possibility to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. As they have been with most different groups within the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs have been the principle roadblock for Buffalo, which has misplaced to them in 4 of its previous 5 playoff runs.
With a loaded roster headlined by NFL MVP Josh Allen, McDermott has been beneath scrutiny for not having the ability to get his crew to that subsequent stage. If he can not break by way of that ceiling but once more in 2025, it might power the Buffalo brass to significantly take into account discovering a brand new chief who could have a greater likelihood to take the franchise up a notch.
Prediction: Not fired
4. Shane Steichen
Steichen is getting into his third season because the Colts head coach and has gone 17-17 over his first two years on the helm. They’ve completed second within the AFC South each years, however have been on the surface trying in on the playoffs in every of these seasons.
Steichen was employed the identical offseason Indy drafted then-Florida prospect Anthony Richardson at No. 4 total. What was as soon as considered the foundational piece beneath heart has — up to now — blown up within the Colts face. Richardson has but to endear himself to the group and was even benched halfway by way of final season. Now, he is getting into a summer time quarterback battle with veteran free agent signee Daniel Jones.
Truthful or unfair, Steichen’s destiny might be tied to his quarterback manufacturing in 2025, and seeking to the likes of Jones for salvation is not precisely essentially the most encouraging scenario to be in. If Indy has one other down 12 months, it would not be stunning to see the group entertain a full reset.
Prediction: Fired
3. Zac Taylor
The Cincinnati Bengals must be within the thick of their Super Bowl window, however as an alternative are questioning if they’re going to snap their two-year playoff drought. A part of the crew’s struggles have been as a result of accidents, particularly revolving round star quarterback Joe Burrow.
Nevertheless, poor begins to the season have additionally been a key issue, as they personal a 2-6 file of their first 4 video games of the season within the final two years mixed. That falls instantly onto the shoulders of Zac Taylor. The Bengals head coach is getting into his seventh season on the job and is 46-52-1 over his tenure. He is coming off back-to-back 9-8 seasons, however these have largely been checked out as disappointing campaigns regardless of being over .500 due to the high-flying offense.
Taylor might want to get the Bengals again into the playoffs to maintain his job, and it is no positive factor he’ll be capable of do this. On high of enjoying in a division with the Baltimore Ravens and the new-look Pittsburgh Steelers with Aaron Rodgers on the helm, the Cincinnati protection has main questions. The crew is at the moment embroiled in contract spats with go rushers Trey Hendrickson and rookie Shemar Stewart. Hendrickson’s scenario may finally result in a commerce, which might make a protection that allowed 25.5 factors per recreation (tied for the fifth-highest within the NFL) even worse.
And the offense could not be capable of bail them out, both. Final season, the Bengals misplaced six video games regardless of the offense scoring 25 factors. In addition they misplaced two video games regardless of a 38-point output from the offense. All of that does not precisely bode effectively for Taylor in what seems like a make-or-break season.
Prediction: Fired
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Cody Benjamin
2. Mike McDaniel
McDaniel is getting into his fourth season with the Dolphins, and it feels just like the group is at an inflection level. Miami has gone 28-23 over McDaniel’s common season tenure however simply endured its first season beneath .500 (8-9) and missed the playoffs.
General, the roster feels prefer it has plateaued, and impression items may nonetheless be stripped away earlier than Week 1 rolls round, with cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight finish Jonnu Smith each being within the thick of commerce rumors. McDaniel has produced high-flying offenses, however the inconsistent availability of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has hamstrung the franchise from reaching its full potential.
Because the arrow appears to be pointing down for the Dolphins, the remainder of the division is getting extra aggressive. Buffalo stays the highest canine, whereas New England and New York employed new head coaches this offseason and made stable strikes to enhance their rosters. That makes the street that rather more troublesome for the Dolphins in 2025, and it will not be stunning in the event that they end in final place. If that involves fruition, it may end in Miami beginning over throughout the board.
Prediction: Fired
1. Brian Daboll
No coach has a warmer seat getting into 2025 than Brian Daboll in New York. Within the three years he is been on the job, the Giants are 18-32-1, they usually’re coming off a 3-14 season final 12 months. On the finish of the 2024 marketing campaign, it felt like Daboll could also be getting ready to getting the axe, however possession determined to provide him and common supervisor Joe Schoen one other shot in 2025.
Poor quarterback play has been the Achilles heel for the Giants over Daboll’s tenure, and the group did make efforts this offseason to rectify it. It signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in free company and traded up into the again finish of the primary spherical of the 2025 NFL Draft to pick Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Wilson is at the moment positioned to be the Week 1 starter, however Daboll’s destiny could relaxation on Dart, who impressed during the offseason program. If Dart takes over in some unspecified time in the future in the course of the season and reveals flashes, that might be sufficient to avoid wasting Daboll.
Nevertheless, he’ll must survive an early gauntlet to presumably get to that time. Earlier than the Week 14 bye, seven of their first 12 opponents are all coming off playoff appearances final 12 months — and the non-playoff groups are the Cowboys (street), Saints (street), 49ers (dwelling), Bears (street) and Patriots (street). It is exhausting to think about New York placing collectively something near a .500 file, which might put Daboll at severe threat of an in-season firing.
Prediction: Fired