10 NFL Coaches Who Start the 2018 Season on the Hot Seat
By Jason McIntyre
The NFL season starts in three weeks, and more than half a dozen coaches may not make it to Thanksgiving. A couple could be in jeopardy by Halloween. All coaches must win; these coaches have to win, or it’s their job.
1. Hue Jackson, Cleveland
He’s 1-31 in the last two years, and he wants Tyrod Taylor to be his starting QB so they can win some games. Meanwhile, the GM (John Dorsey) didn’t select Jackson, and he drafted Baker Mayfield #1 overall. If they start 0-2 (vs Pittsburgh, at New Orleans) and it snowballs from there, Jackson may not make it to Halloween.
10. Adam Gase, Miami
Made the playoffs in Year 1, but had no chance in Pittsburgh starting backup Matt Moore. Fell back to 6-10 last year, so entering year three his seat isn’t technically hot. Try tepid. This one is about culture, of which the Dolphins have been a disaster for several years now, dating back even before Gase. It’s never a good look when an assistant coach is caught on video snorting a white powder, and ends up in rehab. He’s stuck with Ryan Tannehill and if Tannehill and his big contract don’t perform, Gase could be out with him.
2. Vance Joseph, Denver
A curious hire by John Elway in January 2017, Joseph did a poor job in his first year (5-11) though he largely got a pass for not having a QB. With the AFC West down, and the addition of Case Keenum, Joseph may have to get Denver to .500 or better to avoid getting canned.
3. Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati
How does he still have a job? Fifteen seasons, zero playoff wins, and two straight years with no playoff trips. They actually got lucky to win seven games this year, and Lewis will be toast if the Browns manage to finish ahead of them.
4. Todd Bowles, NY Jets
From 10-6 and missing the playoffs in the 4th quarter (thanks, Ryan Fitzpatrick), to 5-11 to 5-11 again, Bowles needs to flirt with .500 to keep his job. Nobody expects the playoffs, but he’s got a franchise QB (albeit a 21-year old), and how he handles him in Year 1 will be more important than the team’s record.
5. Dirk Koetter, Tampa Bay
He’s in the toughest division in the NFL, and his QB is suspended for the first three games – which happen to be against playoff teams! – and it gets worse: The final five games of the season are against teams that will be in the playoff hunt. After going 9-7, then 5-11, I’d guess anything worse than five wins means he’s gone.
6. Jason Garrett, Dallas
Eight years, one playoff win. But he’s got legit excuses – Tony Romo’s injuries, and last year, Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension. The Eagles won the Super Bowl and the Giants could be a force this year, so Garrett’s got to be in the playoff hunt, or it might be curtains for a guy who has been only been under .500 once in the last three years.
7. Jay Gruden, Washington
Goes into his 5th season with a brand new QB, and low expectations in the tough NFC East. The Redskins had more starters lost to injury than anyone last year, and they’re already down a running back who figured prominently into their offense. If the wheels fall completely off and he wins 3-4 games, Dan Snyder may be looking for another coach.
8. Bill O’Brien, Houston
He’s had an odd tenure – three 9-7 seasons, a playoff win over rookie backup Connor Cook, followed by last year’s 4-12 – and O’Brien hasn’t been loved in Houston. How he could start last season with Tom Savage is beyond me. If the Texans offensive line crumbles, Deshaun Watson can’t stay on the field, and the improving AFC South proves too tough, O’Brien may be done.
9. John Harbaugh, Baltimore
The only Super Bowl winner on this list, Harbaugh has struggled since Joe Flacco and the Ravens held on to win the Super Bowl in February 2015. Over the last three years, they went 5-11, then 8-8, and last year missed the playoffs in the 4th quarter of Week 17. They’re an AFC sleeper for me, but if Harbaugh misses the playoffs, it’s unlikely he’ll return.