[brid autoplay=”true” video=”783845″ player=”23231″ title=”Ten%20mustsee%20NFL%20games%20in%202021″ duration=”172″ description=”For football nerds, it’s become the biggest post-draft event of the spring. Sure, the matchups are predetermined, but there’s nothing like schedule release day.The NFL released the 2021 schedule on Wednesday as it enters its first-ever 17-game season. It’s never too early to start circling dates on your calendar for this fall, so here are 10 games you won’t want to miss.” uploaddate=”2021-05-17″ thumbnailurl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/thumb/783845_t_1621259414.png” contentUrl=”//cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/sd/783845.mp4″]
It’s seems like pretty much every season we hear about NFL head coaches on the hot seat. For the coming 2021 campaign, that list is going to include Vic Fangio of the Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears head man Matt Nagy and a certain guy by the name of Zac Taylor with the Cincinnati Bengals.
However, there’s a number of other head coaches who are facing a ton of pressure while still boasting some sense of job security.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is among the most loyal when it comes to those manning the sidelines. This doesn’t mean Mike McCarthy doesn’t have a ton to prove heading into his second season in Big D. Out west, Kyle Shanahan has to show that the San Francisco 49ers made the right decision to commit to him long-term. These are among the five NFL head coaches with the most to prove head into 2021.
Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys
It took Dallas eons to move on from former head coach Wade Phillips until Jerry Jones and Co. finally bit the bullet midway through the 2010 season. He was ultimately replaced by Jason Garrett in what was initially an interim role. Garrett’s tenure in Big D seemed to go on forever, too, before he was jettisoned following the 2019 campaign in favor of McCarthy. What’s the major takeaway here? Perhaps more than any ownership group outside of the Rooneys in Pittsburgh, Jones is loyal to his head coaches.
How long will that last when it comes to McCarthy after the Super Bowl-winning head man posted a disastrous six-win 2020 campaign? Jones has made no bones about it. McCarthy, 57, is not on the hot seat. Even then, he’s going to face a ton of pressure heading into Year 2.
Dak Prescott returns fully healthy after suffering a devastating ankle injury last October. The Cowboys brought in veteran coach Dan Quinn and a ton of reinforcements to help on the defensive side of the ball. Meanwhile, the NFC East remains the weakest division in football. While not firmly on the hot seat, another bad performance from the McCarthy-led Cowboys will certainly have him sweating following the 2021 NFL season.
Jon Gruden, Las Vegas Raiders
Signed to an absurd 10-year contract ahead of the 2018 season, Gruden’s second stint with the Raiders has not yet been fruitful. He’s posted a 19-29 record without having earned a spot in the playoffs through three seasons. There’s also seemingly some discord between Gruden and general manager (in name only) Mike Mayock, leading to speculation that the latter’s days in Sin City could be numbered.
There’s a major backdrop to this heading into the 2021 NFL season. As good of a coach as Gruden has proven himself to be, he’s been just as questionable when it comes to player personnel decisions. It has Las Vegas a few tiers behind the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West as the team finally welcomes fans into Allegiant Stadium this fall. How would it look for Gruden’s reputation if further struggles were the name of the game in 2021?
This isn’t to say “Chucky” is on the hot seat. Whether it’s a good thing remains to be seen. But Raiders owner Mark Davis has in the past pushed back against firing coaches who are under contract while eating large sums of cash. Only three seasons into his 10-year contract, Gruden isn’t going anywhere any time soon. That doesn’t mean he won’t be sweating it out in the Vegas heat.
Mike Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings
One of the longer-tenured head coaches in the NFL, Zimmer has had varying levels of success since taking over in Minnesota back in 2014. He’s led the Vikings to the playoffs three times in seven seasons while posting a losing record two other times. This past season saw the Vikes put up a disastrous seven wins one year after earning a trip to the NFC Divisional Playoffs.
Owner Zygi Wilf likes the continuity Zimmer brings to the table. I am just not too sure that will be sustainable moving forward should the struggles we saw last season extend into 2021. Primarily, Zimmer’s defensive prowess took a hit after he moved on from multiple veterans in 2020. That included Minnesota finishing 29th in points allowed last season compared to ranking in the top-five back in 2019.
As with pretty much every coach facing pressure heading into the NFL season, it will also be about quarterback play here. Kirk Cousins has been nothing more than a stat-filler during his time with the Vikings, padding said stats during garbage time. He needs to step it up. If not for the quarterback’s sake after Minnesota drafted Kellen Mond, just to give Zimmer a tad bit more job security.
Urban Meyer, Jacksonville Jaguars
Blasphemous. A head coach with a track record of nearly unprecedented success at the college ranks taking on a sinking ship in Duval and facing a ton of pressure? Where the heck is this coming from? Well, it’s rather simple. Meyer, 56, has absolutely no experience at the NFL level. He’s bringing in somewhat of a college environment to Jacksonville, starting with rookie No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence.
We’ve seen other college coaches bomb out big time in brief forays into the NFL landscape. Anyone remember Nick Saban’s two-year tenure with the Miami Dolphins? I didn’t think so. It was that forgettable. There’s no guarantee that the mentality Meyer brings with him to Jacksonville will translate to the professional ranks.
The backdrop here is an owner in Shahid Khan who has proven to be a bit too hands-on when it comes to player personnel matters. Heck, one has to wonder if it was the eccentric billionaire who pushed for Meyer to sign Tim Tebow to play tight end. Either way, Meyer’s tenure with the Jaguars will be defined by tremendous success or end up being an absolute dumpster fire. There’s no in-between, and it starts this September.
Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Shanahan is about 16 months removed from taking San Francisco to the Super Bowl and less than a year removed from signing an extension. Why would we have him on a list of this ilk? Again, it’s not exactly brain surgery. The innovative offensive mind is now 29-35 as the 49ers’ head coach. In games that Jimmy Garoppolo has not started, San Francisco is 7-27. Entering Year 5 of his tenure in Northern California, Shanahan still has a lot to prove.
That’s also where Garoppolo comes into play. There’s an interesting dynamic in play right now, including the possibility that rookie No. 3 pick Trey Lance will beat out the incumbent for the starting job during training camp. Shanahan also joined with general manager John Lynch in mortgaging the 49ers’ future on Lance in a trade up during April’s NFL Draft.
What does this all mean? Sure Shanahan and Lynch are linked to Northern California for the next several years. That’s fine and dandy. But the power duo must prove that 2019 was not an exception to the rule in order to see their reputation remain unfettered. They might have to prove this without Garoppolo in the mix. It’s NFC West title and deep playoff run or bust in San Francisco this season. That has Shanahan under a ton of pressure. Full stop.