“There’s always at least one Head Coach who doesn’t make it through the NFL season. Let’s look at which head coaches could be fired this year.”
A new NFL season is upon us. Preseason is here, and it’s that time of the year when we question some teams, their players, and, of course, their coaches. Whether your team has won a Super Bowl trophy or not, everyone starts at 0-0. Some coaches are getting a fresh start with a new team. However, some of them could be on their way out. Let’s take a look at who is very likely in the hot seat and which NFL head coaches could be fired before the end of the year.
Kevin Stefanski
This one shouldn’t be a surprise, and not just because it’s the Cleveland Browns. The Haslams aren’t gonna sell tickets, new stadium or old, unless they can win more games. That starts with Head Coach Kevin Stefanski. To go from playoffs the year before to nearly dead last a year later should be considered a fireable offense. In November 2023, Deshaun Watson injured his shoulder in Baltimore midgame against the Ravens.
The Browns still won that game as well as the following week at home against the Steelers. However, the front offices knew that backups like Dorian Thompson-Robinson weren’t cutting it. Thus, they signed longtime Ravens Quarterback Joe Flacco. They ended up clinching a playoff spot after winning the Thursday Night Football season finale against the New York Jets. With the success of Flacco and finishing the season at 11-6, Stefanski won Coach of the Year. Last season, Flacco became a free agent and signed a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts. That was a bad deal for both teams since neither of them had successful quarterback play, ergo missing the playoffs.
After one year in Indy, things didn’t go so well with the Colts. Now he’s back in Cleveland with a new set of Wide Receivers. Although this offense isn’t entirely different for the former Super Bowl-winning QB. Flacco will be reunited with Running Back Jerome Ford and veteran Tight End David Njoku. So you’d think they’re giving it another go, right? Not necessarily. There were rumors that Kenny Pickett could start Week One, but that was before he was sidelined at camp. He’s not the only one, either. Both rookie Quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel & Shedeur Sanders are dealing with injuries as well. This caused the Browns to sign another former Quarterback, Tyler Huntley.
Don’t get me wrong; I was impressed with the Browns during the NFL Draft earlier this year. They had the second overall pick guaranteed, and they let the Jaguars take the bait. Now, Liam Coen can figure out the versatility that comes with Travis Hunter. Nevertheless, they were still able to draft key position players such as Defensive Tackle Mason Graham & Linebacker Carson Schwesinger. Sanders didn’t even go until the fifth round, and the Browns still drafted him!
Injuries aside, I can understand starting Pickett or Huntley over the prospects, but over a veteran like Flacco? Why would Kevin Stefanski, Andrew Berry, or anyone else not start the guy who took the team to the playoffs most recently? Did you see who the home opener is in Week One? It’s against the Cincinnati Bengals, a divisional opponent whose Quarterback has a Week 1 kryptonite, at least twice in Cleveland. Assuming that continues to prove true, Week Two is not only against a divisional opponent, but it’s Flacco’s return to Baltimore. Why not start as strong as possible, especially against the two strongest teams in the division?
The only answer you’ll likely hear to these questions is “Because they’re the Browns”. Unless Joe Flacco is starting for Cleveland in September, this could get ugly real quick. If it does, Stefanski might be off the team’s payroll sooner than later.
Mike McDaniel
It may be hot in South Florida, but the team inside Hard Rock Stadium, not so much. The playoff window for Head Coach Mike McDaniel and the Miami Dolphins is closing fast. While injuries may have been a problem, mostly to Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, there have been some questionable decisions. Acquiring Jalen Ramsey & Jonnu Smith for Minkah Fitzpatrick might be one of the worst trades I’ve seen in a while. For what purpose, to sign Darren Waller out of retirement? He was a non-factor with the Giants. What does he still have left in the tank that’ll help this slowly imploding offense?
Tyreek Hill played through the 2024 season with a broken wrist requiring offseason surgery. This absolutely held the Dolphins back. Credit to Cheetah for committing to his career, but at what cost? He scored six receiving TDs while Jaylen Waddle only scored two. Devon Achane may have a bigger RB1 role, but supposedly, that success only happens when Tua is on the field. One more injury to him, and this could be it. His backups are Zach Wilson & rookie Quinn Ewers. Will Achane still be able to run and or score?
Any fantasy manager can tell you about the career season Jonnu had with the Dolphins. He finished as the TE4 with almost 900 receiving yards & 8 TDs. Farty Smith couldn’t coach him like this in Atlanta. Why reunite with him in Pittsburgh, and why would the Dolphins just give him away like that? It’s not even like the Steelers need him when they already have Pat Freiermuth. We’ve seen Aaron Rodgers throw to multiple Tight Ends, but if this is indeed his last season, what are the Steelers getting out of this? Is there something wrong with Minkah that we don’t know?
In a rejuvenating AFC East, the Dolphins need to be able to win games. They play all three of their divisional opponents in Weeks 2-4, and two of those rivals have brand-new coaches. The Patriots might not have much at Wide Receiver other than Stefon Diggs, but a new head coach, of course, can change things. We’ll see how Mike Vrabel does with Drake Maye in his sophomore season, along with rookie Running Back TreVeyon Henderson. In the Meadowlands, former Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn is now coaching the Jets. This defense has already made a few splashes within the past couple of years. Assuming Glenn doesn’t allow blown coverage like he did in Detroit, this defense could give Tua some issues. That, of course, is if Tua can stay healthy, but I don’t see him passing for more than 3549.5 yards. More on that here.
At the very least, all their starters potentially play Week One in Indy. The Dolphins’ offense could easily put some points on the board against the Colts. The departure of Linebacker E.J. Speed means more work for Zaire Franklin, to stop Achane from an explosive run. Assuming the offseason surgery was a success, this should be an easy enough starting matchup for Tyreek. Unlike the Colts, at least the Dolphins have a QB1. Given that this is the easiest matchup for them in September, it gives me good reason to choose Miami for Survivor Leagues. They’re also never gonna be any healthier at any point later on.
Not only does Tua need to stay healthy but Tyreek needs to get back to his old self. Starting the first month at 1-4 never looks promising, especially with possible division losses. As we all know, things normally fall on the Head Coach. McDaniel is gonna need a bigger playbook if he hopes to not get fired.
