As the 2024 NFL season rages on, several head coaches from around the league now find themselves under a larger microscope than others. For better or worse, the blame for a team’s failure is often directed toward the head coach or the quarterback. The former usually is walking on eggshells, contemplating how much longer will it be until ownership shows the door. In this cutthroat business, not everyone is safe, regardless of how much of the blame is warranted.
With Week Seven upon us, here are some head coaches whose seats are getting progressively hotter.
4 Coaching Hot Seats
Mike McCarthy: Dallas Cowboys
Working for the richest franchise in the NFL has its perks as well as its challenges: a “Super Bowl or Bust” fanbase coupled with Jerry Jones as your boss isn’t a day at the beach. Mike McCarthy knows this better than anybody. McCarthy’s once-imposing defense has faltered since the departure of Dan Quinn. Not to mention Dak Prescott isn’t playing up to his new salary. Fresh off of a humiliating home loss to the Detroit Lions on JERRY JONES’ BIRTHDAY, McCarthy ought to make good use of this bye week and orchestrate a big turnaround for Dallas Cowboys football.
Dennis Allen: New Orleans Saints
Everything started off great for the black and gold. New offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, rewrote the offensive scheme which produced over 90 points in two games. But with Derek Carr and Rashid Shaheed sustaining lengthy injuries, Dennis Allen has seen the Big Easy lose five straight after beginning 2-0. New Orleans is now licking their wounds from a blowout loss at the hands of Denver and former Saints head coach, Sean Payton. It’s now or never for Allen to steer the ship out of this headwind. His third and current year with the Saints could be his last if he cannot keep pace with division rivals Atlanta and Tampa Bay.
Zac Taylor: Cincinnati Bengals
On paper, the Cincinnati Bengals have way too much talent to be 2-4 like they are now. Joe Burrow is jumping atop the MVP conversation, and Zac Taylor took the Bengals to the Super Bowl not so long ago. Now in 2024, a high-powered offense is being held back by a defense that allows over 350 yards of total offense per game and 25.7 points per game. Taylor needs to go back to the drawing boards to help this Bengals team dominate both sides of the ball. If he can’t, then the front office will find someone who can, sooner rather than later.
Nick Sirianni: Philadelphia Eagles
It may sound strange to say that a head coach who has made his team a shoo-in for the playoffs is on the hot seat. But Nick Sirianni’s recent antics are not doing him any favors. From chirping with Philadelphia Eagles fans after an ugly win over Cleveland to other similar instances with fans of other teams, Sirianni is not afraid to let others have it. But he will need to clean up the Eagles’ performance before he can talk. With a shaky offense that’s, overall, not performing like it used to, Philadelphia could miss a prime opportunity to take over the NFC East with Dallas lagging behind.
Main Image: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
