Coaches On The Hot Seat Heading Into 2023 NFL Season

It’s an old adage in the NFL that head coaches are hired to be fired. While everyone knows this going into each opportunity, each individual in the position tries to delay the inevitability as long as they can. We’ll take a look at a few NFL head coaches who may need a strong performance in order to avoid getting canned at season’s end.

If an NFL fan hasn’t heard that this is an important campaign for the New York Jets, they must be living under a rock. There have been ample reasons for the team’s struggles under Saleh in the past couple of years, but management has removed all excuses by trading for Aaron Rodgers. Anything short of a playoff appearance would likely call Saleh’s job security into question.

McDaniel is widely viewed as one of the league’s most promising young coaches, but he had some slippery slopes to overcome in his first season. Most notably, his judgment was called into question during the scary situation involving Tua Tagovailoa and his concussions. If McDaniel’s commitment to player safety is again called into question, he could pay for it with his job.

The Cleveland Browns are hoping to turn a corner as a franchise, and that might start with the re-introduction of Deshaun Watson as a full time starting quarterback. Stefanski is well known for his ability to get a ground-game going, but it’ll be interesting to see how much he takes the training wheels off of Cleveland’s well-paid signal caller.

It’s highly unusual for coaches entering their first season with a team to be on a watch list like this, but it seems like anything is possible in Indianapolis. If Steichen is sent packing at year’s end, it may not have much to do with his ability to lead a team. It might have more to do with the dysfunction that the Colts are experiencing in their front office.

Many around the league are stunned that Staley was able to hold on to his job after the Los Angeles Chargers collapsed in last year’s playoffs. Ownership is showing a lot of faith in him by keeping him on board, but another campaign that doesn’t end in at least one postseason victory will likely spell the end of Staley’s tenure there.

McDaniels gets a lot of credit for being the stabilizing offensive coordinator during his time with the New England Patriots, but his teams have not achieved much when he’s been a head coach. Without a strong resume to fall back on, it seems entirely possible that owner Mark Davis will decide to go in a new direction if the 2023 season is a disappointment.

He’s one of the most respected individuals in the league, but Rivera has not been able to elevate the Commanders in the NFC East. Some of that is not all his fault, as Washington has had a tough time identifying a legitimate quarterback during that period. However, with assistant head coach Eric Bieniemy potentially waiting in the wings, Rivera’s days may be numbered.

It’s a blessing and curse when a coach works with a Hall of Fame quarterback. It’s hard to discern where the coach’s influence ends and the signal caller’s greatness begins. LaFleur has won a lot of games with the Green Bay Packers, but the real test will come this season as he prepares Jordan Love to start.

The Buccaneers are entering life without Tom Brady, which presents opportunities and concerns. They won’t have the greatest quarterback of all time under center, but they’ll have the chance to find out whether or not key young players are building blocks for the future. Bowles will be tasked with keeping the ship afloat while this transition takes place.

The Atlanta Falcons hired Smith for his demonstrated proficiency in the run-game, and they selected running back Bijan Robinson with a top 10 draft pick. The head coach is going to need to put Robinson not just in a position to succeed, but potentially a position to be one of the best players in the NFL. Smith will also need to develop Kyle Pitts and Drake London in 2023.

The NFC South figures to be a much more winnable division thanks to Brady’s retirement, which means that the New Orleans Saints will look to snatch the division crown. Allen will be under the microscope in 2023, as the shine of being one of Sean Payton’s top assistants will wear off if the team doesn’t make it back to the playoffs.