Story by
NFL Coaching Hot Seat Rankings 2025: 5 Likeliest NFL Coaches to be Fired
- Story by
- NFL Coaching Hot Seat Rankings 2025: 5 Likeliest NFL Coaches to be Fired
David Banks-Imagn Images
The NFL coaching hot seat claimed its first victim this season, with the Tennessee Titans firing head coach Brian Callahan in October. A few month of the NFL calendar opens the door to another head coach putting himself in danger of being fired, depending on how his team performs in the next few weeks.
Let's dive into our NFL Coaching Hot Seat rankings after Week 10.
Advertisement
1. Brian Daboll, New York Giants
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
A single decision in Week 10 feels like it should seal the fate of New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll. The team led 17-10 in the first quarter and just stalled at the 1-yard line after a 79-yard drive . From 4th-and-Goal at the 1-yard line, Daboll settled for the 19-yard field goal and then doubled down on that call by declining a Too Many Men on the Field penalty that would've given the Giants offense a second chance from the half-yard line. That needs to be the final straw for a head coach who is now 13-34-1 in his last 48 games. An organization simply can't allow for that level of conservativism to be allowed when the team has been this bad for so long.
Related: New York Giants Coaching Candidates to Replace Brian Daboll
Advertisement
2. Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns
Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
When you are on pace to lose 12-plus games for the second consecutive season and you decide to surrender play-calling duties as an offense-minded head coach in November, that's all the sign we need. The Cleveland Browns stood by Kevin Stefanski after a seven-win campaign in 2022, he delivered an 11-6 mark and made the playoffs. However, he's now 5-21 in the last two seasons and Cleveland has been saddled by one of the league's worst offenses. Giving a head coach six seasons shows patience, but three campaigns with double-digit losses in the last four years leaves an organization with no other choice. The Browns need to reset at both quarterback and head coach this offseason.
3. Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The fact that Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is now third in our NFL coaching hot seat rankings says both that there aren't many of his peers in real jeopardy right now and he's stabilized his own situation a bit. It goes beyond just the 30-13 victory in Week 10 over Buffalo. Miami has won two of its last three games, with this Dolphins offense averaging 23.3 points and 346.7 total yards per game with a 5.78 yards-per-play average in the last three contests. The upcoming Dolphins schedule – vs Commanders , Saints and at Jets – also provides McDaniel with a real chance to turn a 1-6 mark into a 5-7 record by early December. If that happens, we believe there's a very real chance McDaniel returns in 2026.
Advertisement
Related: Miami Dolphins Coaching Candidates to Replace Mike McDaniel
4. Pete Carroll, Las Vegas Raiders
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
It takes special circumstances for us to believe a first-year head coach should be fired. Pete Carroll meets those qualifications. The Las Vegas Raiders hired the 74-year-old head coach to bring stability and respectability to this franchise, even giving him the green light to make Chip Kelly the highest-paid coordinator in the NFL. What Las Vegas has gotten back on its investment is a 2-7 record, with one victory since the regular-season opener. Meanwhile, Kelly's offense ranks 30th in yards-per-play average (4.8) and scoring rate (27.8 percent). If the Raiders can't win more games in 2025 than they did in 2024 with Antonio Pierce and Gardner Minshew , it would be in the organization's best interest to fire Carroll and bring in a young coach who could be part of reshaping this club's future.
Advertisement
5. Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals
Phil Didion/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor is always one of the most popular names on NFL coaching hot seat lists. While we think there's a chance he could be fired, there's also a history that needs to be acknowledged. Bengals owner Mike Brown is loyal to those close to him and willing to give a head coach a very long leash. Just look at the Marvin Lewis era which lasted for 16 seasons (2003-2018) with a .518 winning percentage and nine seasons without a winning record and zero playoff wins in that entire span. Taylor was the head coach of a Bengals' Super Bowl team and he won nine-plus games every season from 2021-'24. We might believe the credit for that belongs entirely to Joe Burrow , Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins , but Brown's history would suggest he'll give Taylor a lot of credit and even more patience.
Related Headlines
Advertisement
