As NFL training camps gear up, the harsh reality is that several of the 32 head coaches are in their final season with their current teams.
Head coaching turnover is a harsh reality every season in the NFL, and it’s clear things are already looking tough heading into the 2024 season. Dallas CowboysMike McCarthy, New York GiantsWith Brian Daboll New York Jets Robert Saleh.
But there are bound to be surprise firings every year, and low-profile managerial changes at key seasons for quality teams who could be in trouble if they fail to live up to expectations.
Below, we present some of these potential candidates in alphabetical order.
Mike McDaniel
I’m a big fan of McDaniels’ offensive strategy and like the way he runs the team, but there have been rumors circulating about the confidence Miami’s ownership has in him. Dolphin The Dolphins haven’t won a playoff game since 2000 and have lost 11 of their last 12 games to their biggest AFC East rival, the Buffalo Bills. But that’s not McDaniel’s fault. He’s only been Miami’s coach for two years, but he’s led the team to a 20-14 record and a playoff appearance both seasons. But Miami’s ownership could get nervous if the Dolphins falter in the AFC and don’t make the playoffs this season. If that happens, McDaniel will likely be hired by another team the same day Miami fires him. But it’s not inconceivable to think that if the Dolphins don’t take the next step in 2024, his future in Miami will be uncertain.
Sean McDermott
Let me be clear. Buffalo BillsThe Super Bowl window is still wide open. McDermott’s job this season is to make sure it doesn’t start to close. If the Bills don’t make the playoffs in 2024 without a long-term injury, McDermott will be under intense scrutiny. It’s all about getting closer to the Super Bowl in Buffalo. Right now is Josh Allen’s prime. If McDermott can’t take advantage of that window, the Bills may try to find the next offensive coach to pair with Allen and maximize his prime. It would be a surprise if McDermott isn’t in Buffalo in 2025, but that scenario is not impossible.
Doug Pederson
Life moves fast in the NFL, and Pederson doesn’t need a reminder of that. He was fired as an NFL coach. Philadelphia Eagles It’s been three years since the franchise’s lone Super Bowl victory, so he knows success in this league is fleeting. Jacksonville Jaguars He finished with a 9-8 record in both seasons. Los Angeles Chargers The Jaguars missed out on a championship in the 2022 NFL playoffs. But it’s the stunning collapse that ended last season that Jaguars ownership and fan base remember most. The Jaguars started the season 8-3 and looked like real contenders, but lost five of their final six games and missed the playoffs. If the Jaguars falter again and squander the first year of quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s big-money new contract, Jacksonville ownership might want to make a change.
Nick Sirianni
With Pederson, the Eagles proved that sentimentality doesn’t get in the way of making tough decisions. Sure, Sirianni was a good coach, going 34-17 in three seasons in Philadelphia and nearly winning the Super Bowl in his second year. But this team was built to win the Super Bowl. So the Eagles’ ugly collapse late in the 2023 season put Sirianni in a tough spot. The Eagles started the season 10-1 and looked like the best team in the league by a long way. But then they suddenly crumbled, lost five of their final six games and somehow lost the NFC East title. They got beaten by Tampa Bay in the first round of the playoffs. The scariest thing was that the Eagles looked like a bad team late in the season. There were rumors that Sirianni might be forced to resign after that failure in January, but the Eagles saw enough power to keep him. With this lineup and expectations, Sirianni now has to deliver. A wild-card spot and a first-round exit from the playoffs for a second straight year may be unacceptable in Philadelphia, and the owner may decide the team’s chances of a Super Bowl appearance are now and conclude that Sirianni isn’t the coach capable of winning a championship if he doesn’t bounce back this season.
