We already know that a number of NFL head coaches are on the hot seat heading into the 2024 season. That’s the case every year.
Some were surprised that Chicago Bears’ Matt Eberflus was able to keep his job after last season’s disaster class. There are several other head coaches who simply aren’t doing themselves any favors when it comes to fans.
With the 2024 regular season quickly approaching, we rank the 10 worst NFL head coaches right now.
Related: 10 NFL head coaches on the hot seat
10. Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings
O’Connell took over as the Minnesota Vikings’ head coach back in 2022. He proceeded to lead them to a surprising 13-4 record as a rookie. Though, it must be noted that luck played a role that season. A total of 11 of those wins came by one score. The Vikings then fell back to earth last season with a 7-10 record. Now set to rely on Sam Darnold to replace the departed Kirk Cousins at quarterback, O’Connell will have a chance to prove his coaching chops. Don’t call us optimistic on that front.
9. Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills
We do have to give McDermott credit for putting Buffalo back on the football map. He’s led the Bills to the playoffs six times in seven seasons. This team was in the midst of a 17-year postseason drought when he arrived. Unfortunately, it has not translated to playoff success. Buffalo is 5-6 under McDermott in the postseason and continues to lay eggs. It’s Super Bowl or bust for the team in 2024. Short of that happening, he could be one of the first NFL head coaches fired come January.
8. Brian Daboll, New York Giants
How can the 2022 NFL Coach of the Year find himself on this list? Well, it’s rather simple. The Giants were an absolute disaster under Daboll last season, posting a 6-11 record. They finished 30th in the league in scoring at 15.6 points per game. It led to some speculation that he could be on the hot seat after the season concluded. Daboll’s claim to fame is the offensive side of the ball. It did not work out swimmingly in 2023. Call us skeptical that it will work out in 2024 with Daniel Jones set to return at quarterback.
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7. Robert Saleh, New York Jets
Yes, Robert Saleh is one of the NFL head coaches on the hot seat. No, he has not proven capable of holding down this role. The Jets are 18-33 in his three seasons in Jersey. They averaged less than 16 points per game a season ago. Saleh is now relying on Aaron Rodgers returning from injury to save his job. If that doesn’t happen in 2024, expect him to return to a role as a defensive coordinator. He thrived in that area with the San Francisco 49ers from 2017-20.
6. Jonathan Gannon, Arizona Cardinals
We have to give Gannon at least one more season to prove that he’s capable of being one of the 32 NFL head coaches. Arizona was in complete rebuild mode during his rookie campaign, posting a 4-13 record. Unfortunately, the team was a disaster on both sides of the ball. It finished in the bottom 10 in scoring at 19.4 points per game and finished second-to-last in scoring defense. Did we mention defense is his calling card? Another performance like this in 2024 could have Gannon out of a job.
5. Sean Payton, Denver Broncos
What a disaster Sean Payton’s first season with the Denver Broncos was. The Super Bowl-winning head coach sparred with quarterback Russell Wilson before benching the future Hall of Famer. He tried to institute his own culture from his days with the New Orleans Saints. It did not work out. Players disliked suiting up for him. The end result was an 8-9 record with Denver averaging a mere 21 points per game. This season will be telling on the Payton front.
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4. Matt Eberflus, Chicago Bears
It was somewhat of a surprise to see the Bears retain Eberflus after he posted a combined 10-24 record in his first two seasons. That was magnified by the Bears going in a completely different direction at quarterback by drafting Caleb Williams No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft. Most believed that an offensive-minded head coach made the most sense. Now, Eberflus heads into his third season with high expectations. Can he prove to be an NFL head coach? We’re not too sure about that.
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3. Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles
Ouch! One season after leading Philadelphia to a Super Bowl appearance, Sirianni had to meet with owner Jeffrey Lurie in order to pretty much beg to keep his job. The Eagles started last season with 10-1 record. They finished by losing six of seven, including a blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs. Rumors of discontent surrounded this team throughout. Others around the league question whether Sirianni is up for the job. He now heads into the 2024 campaign as one of the worst NFL head coaches.
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2. Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys
Dating back to his days with the Green Bay Packers, McCarthy has posted an 11-11 record in the playoffs. He’s 1-3 in that role with the Dallas Cowboys. That includes two consecutive playoff losses to the hated San Francisco 49ers and a blowout defeat against his former Packers squad back in January. This is what’s going to define McCarthy’s career. An inbility to get his team up to play in the big games. It’s been a major talking point in Big D, and has McCarthy viewed as one of the worst NFL head coaches today.
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1. Dennis Allen, New Orleans Saints
Did Dennis Allen deserve a second chance after his disaster of a tenure with the Raiders? It’s an open question. He posted an 8-28 record in parts of three seasons in Northern California. It has been a bit better since taking over for Sean Payton in New Orleans. But he simply doesn’t elevate the play of his team. In two seasons with the Saints, Allen has posted a 16-18 record. That’s just not going to cut it. Period!