Brian Daboll is the second head coach to be fired this season, after the Giants lost 24-20 to the Bears. His questionable decision to kick a field goal inside the 1-yard line certainly didn’t help. With the Titans firing Brice Callahan in October, will we see another head coach losing his job mid-season?
There are candidates for that, with eigth teams having 7 or more losses. With the Giants and Titans in that group, there are a few coaches who could be without a job before January. According to SportsBettingAG, three coaches have better than 4/1 odds to lose their jobs.
Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns
Oct 5, 2025; Tottenham, United Kingdom; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski looks on from the sideline during the third quarter of an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
A two-time Coach of the Year, Stefanski’s problem isn’t necessairly that he’s a bad coach. The way he handled the quarterback position, and the way his offense has struggled for multiple years, is likely what will doom him.
The amount of injuries isn’t his fault, but he was on board on the Deshaun Watson trade, who was playing poorly, by the way. He managed to save the 2023 season, but the last two years have been atrocious. GM Andrew Berry is probably on his way out too, as the Browns head to another rebuild.
Pete Carroll, Las Vegas Raiders
Nov 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll during the second half at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
One of the head coaches I mentioned earlier, I don’t think Carroll getting fired will be an unilateral decision. I think that, by the end of the season, he and the team will agree that it didn’t work out as well as everyone hoped for.
Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins
Nov 9, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel during the second half against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The perception of others about you can change really fast. McDaniel is still excellent at designing plays, but his ability as a head coach is questioned since 2024. After firing GM Chris Gries, the team announced that Mike McDaniel would stay until the end of the season. A huge upset against the Bills is a huge boost to his odds. If he can win a few more games, with the Commanders, Saints, Jets, and Bengals on the schedule, he could keep his job, but his seat is as hot as the visiting team’s bench at Hard Rock Stadium.
Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons
Oct 26, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris is shown reacting on the sideline against the Miami Dolphins during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
The odds favourite to be fired. Last year he had the excuse that Kirk Cousins played well under expectation. The polarizing move to draft MIchael Penix 8th overall looked better in January than it did in April. With a 3-2 start and a huge win against the Bills, the Falcons were the bell of the ball. But the clock struck midnight very quickly on them. They got embarassed by the Dolphins at home. Bijan Robinson, their best player, hasn’t reach 100 rushing yards since the Bills game.
The secondary is the second-best in yards allowed, but that’s mostly due to the run defense being bad. With four losses in a row, the Falcons now face a Panthers team that beat them 30-0 in Week 3. Have another bad loss to a division opponent and the pressure to fire Morris will grow exponentially.
Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals
Oct 12, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor walks off the field after the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images
Almost four years ago I said that reaching that Super Bowl was the worst thing that could’ve happened to the Bengals. Yeah, I never liked Zac Taylor as a head coach. The Bengals, even with one of the best QBs in the league (although often injured), and arguably the best wide receiver duo in the league, will miss the playoffs for the third consecutive year.
They have problems that go beyond the head coach, but Taylor hasn’t done enough to prove he’s worth the job. He’s still riding on that Super Bowl berth four seasons ago, but the Bengals are a very disorganized team, both on and off the field. The inability to improve and scheme around the offensive line os one of the biggest reasons for Burrow’s injuries.
Jonathan Gannon, Arizona Cardinals
Nov 9, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon looks on during the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
The Cardinals won 4 games in Gannon’s first year. But they also had one of the worst rosters in the league and their QB missed half the season, so it’s understandable. In his second year in charge, a very much improved Cardinals jumped to a 8-9 record. Not enough to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2021, but a positive step in the right direction.
Now standing at 3-6, the Cardinals are by far the worst team in the division. He can make a case for another year because of the amount of injuries his team has been through, but it’ll be a hard sell after such a big step backwards. Don’t be surprised if the Cardinals clean the house after the season.
The other teams with 3 or fewer wins are the Commanders, Cowboys, Jets, and Saints. The Commanders reached the NFC Championship Game in the first year with Dan Quinn, it’ll take more than a bad season with everyone injured to get him in trouble. Schottenheimer, Glenn, and Moore are first-year coaches, so their leash is usually longer. Glenn had a bad moment with the New York media this week, although he should be safe after they traded away their best players in his first season.
