This season, there will be seven new head coaches. That means seven head coaches were replaced since the start of last season.
Last year, there were eight new NFL head coaches. It was five the year before that, and a stunning 10 in 2022.
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In other words, it’s inevitable that some of the head coaches at the start of this season will be replaced by the start of the 2026 season. That’s the nature of an impatient league. Here are the seven coaches on the hot seat to start the season.
Brian Daboll, New York Giants
Daboll’s seat was hot at the end of last season. He survived, but with Giants co-owner John Mara acknowledging he knew it wasn’t a popular decision among fans, that last year’s Giants “stunk” and he had “just about run out of patience.” That puts a ton of pressure on Daboll, who has a team that will be predicted by practically everyone to finish in last place of the NFC East. It’s hard to see a way out for Daboll, unless the Giants win way more games than expected or rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart shows so much promise by the end of the season that ownership wants to see him continue with Daboll. Given how well Dart played in the preseason, Daboll might flip that switch and make Dart the QB1 earlier than expected.
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll has a 9-25 record the past two seasons. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Brian Callahan, Titans
Callahan didn’t impress last season as the Titans went 3-14, but he wasn’t given a great roster to work with. The roster isn’t that much better this season, but the quarterback situation is much more promising with first overall pick Cam Ward moving in as the starter. A few years ago Zac Taylor survived a 6-25-1 start as Bengals coach, and maybe the Titans are similarly patient if Callahan (who coached under Taylor) posts another record like last season. But it’s rare for teams to give a coach a third season with a record that bad. If the Titans only win a handful of games, the franchise will have a decision to make.
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Zac Taylor, Bengals
Speaking of Taylor, he made the Bengals look smart for their patience with a trip to the Super Bowl at the end of the 2021 season. The last two seasons have been big disappointments, with matching 9-8 records and zero playoff appearances. Last season was particularly bad, with Joe Burrow playing at an MVP level and Cincinnati still somehow missing the playoffs. The Bengals aren’t exactly the most proactive franchise when it comes to anything, so maybe it won’t matter if the Bengals miss the playoffs again with Burrow ranking among the NFL’s best quarterbacks. But most franchises would not put up with a coach missing the playoffs three straight times with a quarterback like Burrow in his prime. Taylor might not want to risk it.
Shane Steichen, Colts
Steichen hasn’t been that bad in two seasons as Indianapolis’ coach, posting a 17-17 record, but he also hasn’t taken the team to the playoffs. Another season of poor quarterback play, whether it’s current starter Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson Sr. taking over, along with the team finishing below .500 again might cause a change. The late Jim Irsay stuck with Steichen and GM Chris Ballard after an 8-9 finish last season but Irsay’s daughters are in charge after his death this offseason. They might not have the same level of patience if progress isn’t shown.
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Kevin Stefanski, Browns
Should the Browns consider firing a two-time NFL Coach of the Year, even if they post another bad record? No. But this is Browns owner Jimmy Haslam we’re dealing with. He isn’t known for his shrewd decision making. The Browns are probably going to be bad this season, with suboptimal choices to choose from at quarterback, starting with 40-year-old Joe Flacco. They went 3-14 last season. A losing season would be Stefanski’s fourth in six years. The Browns are very unlikely to hire a better coach than Stefanski if they fire him, but Haslam might think that’s what he has to do if the Browns lose big again this season.
Mike McDaniel, Dolphins
The Dolphins took a step back last season and then McDaniel revealed that players were repeatedly showing up late for meetings, which hinted at a culture issue. The Dolphins lost some veterans in free agency and got rid of others in trades, resulting in some holes on the roster. If the Dolphins miss the playoffs again there will be questions about whether McDaniel should get a fifth season.
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Dave Canales, Panthers
The Panthers looked better by the end of last season, and if they continue to improve then Canales will have no worries. But let’s not forget that in a post-Daniel Snyder NFL, Panthers owner David Tepper is the most unpredictable, impulsive and volatile owner in the sport. The Panthers finished 5-12 last season, which wasn’t too bad given the deficiencies on the roster, especially on the defensive side. But would Tepper really remain patient with another season with five wins? That seems hard to believe.