We open every season with a number of NFL head coaches on the hot seat. Those names are pretty recognizable. Most of them remained in their roles heading into the season despite major struggles the year before.
There are also a number of head coaches under a ton of pressure. For example, Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers needs to show playoff success. San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan finally needs to get that monkey lifted from his back after Super Bowl struggles in recent years.
Heading into the 2024 season, let’s check in on 10 NFL head coaches under the most pressure.
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Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills
Is Sean McDertmott one of the NFL head coaches on the hot seat heading into this season? It’s debatable. He took this previously downtrodden organization and put it back on the map. Since taking over in 2017, McDertmott has led Buffalo to six playoff appearances in seven seasons. However, he’s a mere 5-6 in the playoffs. The BIlls put all of their chips in last season, only to lose in the divisoinal round. Another poor showing without Stefon Diggs in the postseason could make McDermott’s seat boiling hot.
Matt Eberflus, Chicago Bears
Some were surprised to see Bears president Kevin Warren retain both Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles after a 7-10 season. Chicago was set to start anew by moving off Justin Fields and replacing him with No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. The time seemed to be perfect for a reset. Instead, Eberflus returns for a third season after boasting a combined 10-24 record in his first two campaigns. With the likes of D’Andre Swift and Keenan Allen joining D.J. Moore as skill position players for Williams under center, the pressure is squarely on Eberflus this season.
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Brian Daboll, New York Giants
From NFL coach of the year in 2012 to being on the hot seat less than two years later. That’s where Daboll finds himself heading into the 2024 campaign. New York was a disaster of epic proportions this past season, posting a 6-11 record. Its offense ranked 30th in scoring and 32nd in total yards. That’s Daboll’s calling card. A lack of improvement with Daniel Jones returning under center could make Daboll one of the first in-season NFL head coaches fired in 2024. It’s that simple.
Dennis Allen, New Orleans Saints
Objectively, Allen has not enjoyed any real success as a head coach in the NFL ranks. He was 8-28 as the Raiders’ head coach from 2012-14. Since taking over for Sean Payton ahead of the 2022 season, the defensive-minded coach is 16-18. That’s mediocrity at its finest. Winning 24 of 70 games throughout your head coaching career will have you under pressure. Allen is feeling it in the Bayou heading into this season.
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Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
There was some talk that Tomlin and the Steelers would call it quits after another premature exit in the NFL Playoffs. That’s not necessarily Pittsburgh’s MO. In fact, it has had all of three coaches since the Richard Nixon Administration. Let that sink in for a bit. Even then, these Steelers have not won a playoff game since all the way back in 2016. That’s their longest streak since the early 1970s. At some point, these marriages come to an end. The pressure is on Tomlin to prove that he can still be the guy to lead Pittsburgh.
Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers
How can a head coach be under pressure when he’s entering his first season in that role? Well, it’s rather simple. Harbaugh returns to the NFL ranks after leading the Michigan Wolverines back to national prominence and a national title. Despite success with the San Francisco 49ers earlier in his career, that relationship culminated in an ugly divorce. Harbaugh is a personality. How will that work with grown men making millions? Meanwhile, he teamed up with new general manager Joe Hortiz to completely reshape the Chargers’ roster. There is pressure here. It’s that simple.
Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings
Are the Vikings headed to a rebuild after losing Kirk Cousins in free agency? It does not seem that way. The signed Sam Darnold to be QB1 before selecting JJ McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Darnold looks like the presumptive starter. Whether it’s a year to retool or something else, O’Connell must prove to the Wilf family that he has what it takes to be an NFL head coach. Remember, Minnesota posted a 7-10 record this past season after some good look led to a 13-4 mark in O’Connell’s first go-round.
Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles
One season after leading Philadelphia to a surprise appearnace in the Super Bowl, one of the promising young NFL head coaches started to feel pressure. The Eagles dropped six of seven to end the 2023 regular season before being blown out by Tampa Bay in the wild card round. It led to Sirianni having to meet with Jeffrey Lurie to convince the owner to keep him on. Rumors of discontent in the locker room. A poor reputation around the league. One of the most-talented teams in the NFL. If Philly falls flat this season, Sirianni is gone.
Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys
Jerry Jones is one of the most loyal owners in the NFL. That much is by now well known. But after three consecutive ugly defeats to bitter long-time rivals in the playoffs, patience has to be running thin. Dallas has not earned a trip to the conference championship game since the end of the 1995 season. McCarthy is 1-3 in the postseason while manning the sideline in Dallas. It’s not hard to do the math here.
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Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
Huh? Three consecutive appearances in the NFC Championship Game. Two Super Bowl appearances over the past five years. A combined 35-16 record since the start of the 2021 campaign. Shanahan is among the best NFL head coaches. But it’s all about not being able to help San Francisco lift that sixth Lombardi Trophy. The team has held 10-point leads over the Kansas City Chiefs in their past two Super Bowl matchups, only to lose both. Shanahan is not on the hot seat. But he’s under the most pressure of any coach in the league heading into this season.