NFL Coaching Hot Seat Rankings: Who’s Feeling The Most Heat Before Week 1?

NFL head coaches know the deal, and if they didn’t, then last season was a brutal reminder. There were a record-tying 10 coaching changes during or after the season. It was a tidal wave that covered 31% of the league. It almost certainly won’t be that bad in 2026. Then again, the last time there were 10 coaching changes, following the 2022 season, there were another eight the year after. So, yes, the temperature is already rising even before most teams have taken the field in Week 1. Here’s a look at whose seats are currently the hottest. It is unfair that Nick Sirianni is on this list, just like it was every time he appeared on it last season. But Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie is a stealthy reactionary as an owner. He’s never been averse to getting involved and forcing surprise changes, even when things look relatively good. And things are still relatively good in Philly, where Sirianni’s Eagles should be a Super Bowl contender. But if they’re not, the focus will surely be on Sirianni’s recent choices at offensive coordinator — the latest being 34-year-old rookie coordinator Sean Mannion — and his ability to maximize a loaded roster. The Eagles’ sights are set on a Super Bowl. If they land anywhere short of that, all bets on Sirianni sticking around are off. Two years ago, Dave Canales was hired primarily for his offensive acumen and to ensure QB Bryce Young reached his promise as a former No. 1 overall pick. There have been steps in the right direction, but only small ones. Young is entering Year 4, and it’s long past time for him to prove he belongs. Canales needs to make sure he does. It certainly helps that Carolina is in the NFL’s worst division, so there is plenty of room for success. But that division also adds to the pressure in its own way. The Panthers went 8-9 last season, which was good enough to finish at the top of the trash heap thanks to a tie-breaker. If they don’t get over .500 this season, it might be time for owner David Tepper to move on from both Canales and Young. The Colts were 8-2 at the bye last season, but they were already beginning to tumble when QB Daniel Jones tore his Achilles in Week 14. That probably bought Shane Steichen some time, because otherwise he wouldn’t have survived a season-ending seven-game losing streak. With a presumably healthy Jones, owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon surely expects the Colts to pick up where they left off when they were one of the best stories in the NFL. Steichen will likely get the entire season to make his long-term case. But if Indy doesn’t snap its five-year playoff drought, his time will probably be up. Former Jets coach Todd Bowles has been a remarkable study in mediocrity in his four seasons in Tampa, waffling between 8 and 10 wins every year. Last year was particularly disappointing, when his battered team finished 8-9 in a division where anyone over .500 would have won it outright. Injuries were only part of the excuse for that. It hasn’t helped Bowles’ case that his defense, his area of expertise, has been average at best the past two seasons. Now that QB Baker Mayfield’s contract situation is resolved, the Bucs are committed to him — at least in the short term. But another mediocre season (or worse) in Tampa Bay would put pressure on the front office to pair Mayfield with a different head coach. Aaron Glenn might be the most endangered coach on this list, since some around the NFL were surprised he survived his first season. He responded by overhauling his coaching staff, assuming defensive playcalling and turning over most of his roster. That’s all well and good, but New York remains one of the worst teams in the league, and I’m not sure if reuniting with a 35-year-old Geno Smith ultimately helps or hurts the cause. Perhaps Glenn won’t look as overmatched in Year 2 and coaches the entire season. That seems about as long as he can retain this job. The Jets are prime candidates to select a QB early in the 2027 draft and reboot their continuously looping rebuild with a new coach as well. Zac Taylor owns a permanent spot on this list. It’s just usually a little lower. But the closer he gets to the end of his contract (which runs through 2027), the more likely it is that the Bengals’ frugal ownership will consider a move. And this would be the season to consider it, because as long as QB Joe Burrow stays healthy, the expectations are high. The Bengals haven’t been to the playoffs since 2022, and they have a top-five quarterback who is still only 29. He’s got time left, but the team brass surely must feel like they’re wasting a championship window. If Cincinnati stumbles out of the gate (again), the drumbeat to end Taylor’s eight-season tenure will grow really loud. It’s too early in their tenures to know just how much patience owner Josh Harris or GM Adam Peters have, but there are some troubling signs heading into Dan Quinn’s third season. For one, the expectations are back up after a disastrous 5-12 season, thanks to the return of electric QB Jayden Daniels — and that might be a problem because the Commanders have a startling lack of weapons and an iffy offensive line and were awful on defense last year. All that is partly why Quinn changed both his coordinators in the offseason, which is usually what coaches do when they’re making their last stand. He’s got everything riding on Daniels and 31-year-old rookie OC David Blough’s ability to help the young QB rediscover his rookie magic. Quinn might need a strong start just to avoid getting swept out of D.C. before the midterm elections.