There was once a time when some NFL Head Coaches stayed with one franchise for decades. Fans were graced with coaches like Don Shula, Tom Landry, and Chuck Noll. But those days are long gone. It seems the coaching carousel spins a lot faster today than it did “back then”. Yet we can’t live in the past; we must embrace new ways of thinking.
The carousel is turning and it can’t slow down. So let’s jump onboard and look at 10 NFL Head Coaches that should be expecting a pink slip.
Matt Eberflus – Chicago Bears
Even though he’s only beginning his second year as Head Coach, the Bears under Matt Eberflus are 3-18. Dating back to last season, Chicago has lost 14 straight games. They shouldn’t be this bad, yet they seem to be getting worse by the week.
The Bears need a complete overhaul and that doesn’t include Eberflus. Chicago has a potential franchise player in Justin Fields and they need a coach that will harness and build around his strengths. Hint: it’s not the guy you currently have. The winds of change need to blow through Chicago and take Matt Eberflus.
Robert Saleh – New York Jets
The Robert Saleh Era in New York came with a lot of hope and optimism. Then reality set in. The Jets were 4-13 his first year and 7-10 the next. Despite finishing 2022 with six straight losses, things were looking up during the offseason. Changes were made: new players were brought in, Sauce Gardner emerged on defense, Breece Hall was healthy, and Aaron Rodgers was brought in as the final piece.
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The Jets entered 2023 as possible Super Bowl contenders. The injury to Rodgers was devastating but the team has too much talent to look this lost. Their quarterback situation is a mess; Zach Wilson looks like he’ll be the next athlete run out of NY. Robert Saleh is not the man to right the ship in New York.
Sean McVay – Los Angeles Rams
Since taking over the Rams in 2017 and going 61-39 over his 6+ plus years, Sean McVay’s time as coach in LA needs to come to an end. The organization reached the summit in 2021 when they won the Super Bowl, but the fall down the mountain has been swift.
The team needs a rebuild and McVay is not the one to lead it. He can do more for his legacy by winning a second championship elsewhere than he can winning another in LA. It’s time for the Rams to cut ties with Sean McVay.
Zac Taylor – Cincinnati Bengals
Sometimes a team goes as far as it can before it needs a new voice in the room to help win that elusive championship. That looks like it might be starting to happen in Cincinnati. Taylor has been successful during his tenure in Cincy, making it to the Super Bowl in 2021 and the AFC Championship in 2022.
However, in his 4+ years they have a below .500 record. Perhaps the missing piece isn’t on the field but along the sideline. It’s time to let Zac Taylor go so the Bengals championship caliber roster isn’t wasted.
Brian Daboll – New York Giants
Something’s going on in New York. Brian Daboll is in his second year as the Head Coach of the NY Giants. He shouldn’t make it to Year 3. The Giants are showing signs of entering a freefall and Brian Daboll is not the one to stop it.
Daniel Jones looks like he has regressed. Saquan Barkley is heading towards free agency. Maybe the Giants just aren’t that good. Relieving Brian Daboll of the head coaching duties is the first step needed to save the season in New York.
Josh McDaniels – Las Vegas Raiders
Josh McDaniels’ first stint as a head coach included controversy and only lasted 28 games. He was 11-17. He is currently 20+ games into his second coaching job with Las Vegas. Problems in the locker room and a 7-13 record. There’s a common pattern emerging here, and it’s not good news for McDaniels.
The Raiders have some pieces in place to contend for a Wild Card spot. If they decide to go for it, McDaniels is not the right guy for the job. And if they decide to rebuild, he’s not the coach to oversee it. The Raiders are at a crossroad, but whichever direction they take, Josh McDaniels time in the desert should be over.
Brandon Staley – Los Angeles Chargers
In his three-plus seasons leading the Chargers, Brandon Staley has a record of 20-17. That alone is not bad, but a deeper dive reveals a larger problem in San Diego. Staley’s first two seasons ended on a bad note. In 2021 the Chargers lost a Week 18, win-or-go home game primarily because of two bad decisions by the head coach.
Last year they blew a 27 point lead in a Wild Card round loss and they are off to an ok start in 2023. The Bolts are a loaded team in a win-now mode. They shouldn’t be getting held back by their head coach. It’s only been three-plus seasons, but the time is now to move on from Brandon Staley.
Kevin O'Connell – Minnesota Vikings
The phrase “always the bridesmaid but never the bride” certainly applies to my cousin, but it can also describe the Vikings. They are typically a .500 or better team that competes for a playoff spot but never quite gets to the Big Game. Kevin O’Connell is just not the coach that will get Minnesota there. Despite winning 13 games last year, (O’Connell’s first), 8 of the wins were by 8 points or less.
Kirk Cousins has thrown for over 1,000 yards and 9 TDs in 3 games and they have one of the best young receivers in Justin Jefferson. The Vikings have pieces in place to be contenders. It’s time to cut bait with Kevin O’Connell before the window of opportunity closes in Minnesota.
Frank Reich – Carolina Panthers
Is it fair to judge a head coach only three games into their first season with a new team? Yup. Especially when that team is the Carolina Panthers and the coach is Frank Reich. Everyone understands that the Puddy Cats are in a rebuilding phase; it’s just that this phase has been going on for 6 years.
They have looked unready and Bryce Young has looked overwhelmed. If the young QB is the future centrepiece of the franchise, then a new coach is needed. It’s clear that Frank Reich isn’t the right one.
Bill Belichick – New England Patriots
I would hate to be the one that has to tell the coach ranked second all-time in wins and 6 Super Bowl victories that he’s out of a job, but it might be time to start having that conversation in New England. Bill Belichick has built a reputation as one of the greatest Head Coaches in NFL history.
However, after 29 years as a head coach, cracks are starting to show. Since Tom Brady left in 2020, the Patriots are a pedestrian 26-27 and have only finished above .500 once. It’s not easy replacing a legend, but that’s on Belichick. First he brought in an ineffective Cam Newton, and now Mac Jones doesn’t look like the answer either. After one of the greatest runs in the history of professional sports, it seems that King Midas has lost his touch. There’s no need for Bill Belichick to tarnish his legacy any further, but if the Pats finish outside of the playoffs I think that conversation is going to get a little bit louder.
