Revisiting the previous season, a total of five coaches got the axe. Kliff Kingsbury, Lovie Smith, Matt Rhule, Frank Reich and Nathaniel Hackett are all out. Of the five that were let go, only Frank Reich landed another NFL Head Coaching position as he signed on with the Carolina Panthers. You can expect around the same number to be fired next year if not more. NFL teams are hiring and firing coaches more quickly now (see Hackett).

With that said we picked five coaches that are currently on the hot seat for the upcoming season. Keep an eye on these coaches as it will be important for all of them to start fast when the season starts.

Robert Saleh – New York Jets

Robert Saleh very well could’ve been fired following the 2022-2023 season. The Jets spiraled out of the NFL playoff picture losing their last 6 games. Despite having a stellar NFL Draft, they lacked a true offensive identity and finished near the bottom in total points (296).

In steps Aaron Rodgers to try and revitalize the Jets franchise. Rodgers brought with him some old friends in Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. He also has Nathaniel Hackett running the offense as the two former Packers team up again. The expectations are now sky-high and if the Jets start off the season slow it may be Saleh that pays the price.

Kevin Stefanski – Cleveland Browns

Kevin Stefanski had a dream debut season for Cleveland. The Browns finished that season with an 11-5 record and made the playoffs. In their Wild Card matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the offense was unstoppable and they put up a whopping 48 points. It seemed as if Stefanski and Baker Mayfield were the perfect match. Since then things haven’t gone as planned. Mayfield is no longer with the Browns and Deshaun Watson was brought in on a massive contract.

Cleveland is now predicted to finish last in the AFC North next season. Stefanski will need a strong season from Watson and the offense as a whole to keep his job.

Mike McCarthy – Dallas Cowboys

If this were any other team in the NFL Mike McCarthy would be safe. The Cowboys finished last season with a 12-5 record and a playoff win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Yet there is a sense of urgency that Dallas needs to produce better postseason results.

They since have let go of their promising offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. McCarthy has taken over the play-calling duties and with that is more added pressure. If the Cowboys don’t make the playoffs or fail to advance in the postseason, Jerry Jones may lose his patience.

Matt LaFleur – Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers have officially entered the Jordan Love era. Whether it’s fair or not, Matt LaFleur’s future depends on how well Love progresses. Aaron Rodgers leaving could be a blessing in disguise for the Packers franchise. It could also end up being the start of a stretch where Green Bay is no longer relevant and they are back in the quarterback market next year. Regardless, the microscope will be on LaFleur as he enters the upcoming season.

Ron Rivera – Washington Commanders

It’s already been an unusual offseason for Head Coach Ron Rivera. The Washington Commanders are finally getting rid of their hated owner Dan Snyder. This alone has caused a new level of optimism around the franchise. They also brought in Eric Bieniemy as Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator. With that, there is a bit of strange dynamic while they wait for future owner Josh Harris to take over.

Will Rivera be safe until next year? No one really knows but don’t discount the Bieniemy effect. Early reports from Commanders OTA’s are saying Rivera has delegated many duties to Bieniemy. It’s plausible that Bieniemy has been tabbed the Head Coach in waiting. This situation is worth keeping an eye on as we get into training camp.

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By: Jeremy Trottier

This NFL season has most definitely been a memorable one, to say the least, with some of the best teams completely underperforming, and some of those we thought would be the worst at the top of their game.  The primary reason some of these teams with lower-tier rosters have been able to get to the top of their division or near to it has been their head coaches.  Head coaching is a huge deal at this level of play, hence why the NFL hands out a Coach of the Year award every season.  In this article, I will be detailing the top 5 candidates for this award so far this season and briefly describe why they deserve this award. 

#1 ”“ Nick Sirianni ”“ Philadelphia Eagles

As of right now, it should be a no-brainer who the leading candidate is for Coach of the Year, as winning is a huge factor in this award, and Nick Sirianni of the Philadelphia Eagles is currently 8-0 as of the writing of this article.  After building this roster with young talents through the draft and flashy trades, Sirianni and GM Howie Roseman have brought the Eagles back to a winning culture, which is due to coaching just as much as the players.  Jalen Hurts has been developed into a very quality starting QB in this league under Sirianni,  which has propelled the Eagles from a middle-ranking team to the top of their conference and the only remaining undefeated team for now. 

#2 ”“ Robert Saleh ”“ New York Jets

Second place is tough, as there are a lot of underwhelming rosters outperforming their skill due to great coaching, but the New York Jets have been able to do it against premier teams in the NFL, which is what I took into consideration here.  Just last week the Jets took on the Buffalo Bills, who are one of the if not the most well-rounded roster in the NFL, and beat them 20-17 on the back of a phenomenal defensive performance.  Know who was responsible?  Head coach Robert Saleh has found his footing in his second season as the Jets head coach and led them to a 6-3 record as of the writing of this article. 

#3 ”“ Kevin O’Connell ”“ Minnesota Vikings

Next up we have a rookie head coach and one of the youngest head coaches in the league, Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.  While they may have some of the top premier talents in the league, such as Justin Jefferson and Dalvin Cook, they have also been coached up to a 7-1 record after struggling with a very similar roster last season under Mike Zimmer.  While their schedule has been slightly weak to start off the season, they have also performed well enough on the field to warrant this record, and seem to be a shoo-in as NFC North division winners this season as long as they do not fold under the pressure down the stretch.

#4 ”“ Brian Daboll ”“ New York Giants

It feels almost wrong putting Daboll so low on this list, but that just goes to show how great the head coaches have been this season.  Another rookie head coach, Daboll has led the New York Giants, one of the lesser rosters in the NFL entering the season, to a 6-2 record, and straight into the dogfight for the NFC East division title.  The giants have had 3 statement wins so far this season, against the Tennessee Titans (21-20), the Baltimore Ravens (24-20), and the Green Bay Packers (27-22).  Overall, Daboll has done a great job utilizing the run game with Saquon Barkley correctly and has turned this franchise back into its winning ways in only half a season.

#5 ”“ Mike McDaniel ”“ Miami Dolphins

Another AFC East head coach coming from the San Francisco 49ers previously would be Mike McDaniel, who has been able to handle the turmoil of losing Tua Tagovailoa mid-season relatively well and has coached this offense into something teams fear now.  Just 3-4 years ago this team was at the bottom of the league scraping up losses to try and tank for Tua, and now they sit only a half-game back of the AFC East title and are doing everything in their power to take this division away from the Jets, Bills, and Patriots.  McDaniel has the assets to work with, hence why he is lower on this list slightly but is absolutely deserving of this award if he can keep this team on track going the distance. 

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By: Jake Rajala

The New York Jets play with a heap of confidence under their Vin Diesel-like head coach, Robert Saleh. The Jets may have been a rotten apple last season with their 4-13 record, but I believe they have a lot of promising profiles coupled with an energetic HC. It’s fun to romanticize the potential of Zach Wilson (and maybe Joe “cool’ Flacco) and his toys on offense, but the Jets defense honestly shouldn’t be in the shadow.

I still won’t sugarcoat how pathetic the Jets defense was a season ago. The Jets allowed the fourth-most rushing yards and the third-most passing yards. It was clear that a Christmas miracle or first three-quarters of play-calling by Gregg Williams couldn’t save their defense.

Well, I believe the tides have turned for the Jets defense moving forward. Sauce Gardner was a genius pick-up by the NYJ and he certainly looked ready to shut-down opponents in pre-season. Gardner is even slotted as the second-best rookie on CBS Sports pre-season rookie rankings.

The CB from Cincinnati won’t hog all of the fun in 2022, however. The Jets have a highly-motivated Quinnen Williams, Solomon Thomas (who played under Robert Saleh in SF), and a healthy Carl Lawson (who unfortunately missed the entire 2021 season). The Jets pass-rush should be a mean, green fighting machine moving forward.

It was a sneaky move by the Jets to also bring in another former defender under Saleh in Kwon Alexander. The former Saints LB stole the spotlight in pre-season by knocking a running back’s pig skin (and teeth out). Alexander and CJ Mosley, who could both have a role as Amleth in The Northman, are one of the NFL’s most underrated LB tandems (despite their age).

It’s easy to anticipate growth from the vast majority of units on teams, but I undoubtedly believe the Jets defense will take positive steps forward in the upcoming season. They have insane, young talents & they will welcome key assets with new-found health. If Saleh struggles to oust several victories but is able to ignite his defense to take positive leaps forward, he could also keep the keys to the team in 2023.

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By: Jake Rajala

The New York Jets had the seventh least amount of sacks under the first-year, defensive-mind head coach Robert Saleh in 2021. It was clear that Josh Allen looked forward to comfortably sitting back and slicing up the Jets pass defense in their two match-ups. With that said, I believe the Jets pass rush will be a lot more lethal in 2022.

The Jets fearless edge-rusher, Carl Lawson, missed the entire 2021 season via a ruptured Achilles. It’s clear that Lawson (who ousted 5.5 sacks, 32 QB hits, and 36 combined tackles in 2020) will make his Vin Diesel-like head coach happy moving forward. Of course, Lawson should thrive with excellent match-ups next to his friend, Quinnen Williams, who is from the CFB powerhouse in Alabama. Williams notched 12 QB hits, six sacks, three pass deflections, and seven tackles for loss last season. He is also appeared to be okay after his ankle injury per the Jets HC. The former third overall pick is also approaching a contract season, so it’s clear he will leave everything out on the field.

The former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator also reunited with Solomon Thomas this off-season on a one-year deal worth $2.5 million dollars. The versatile Thomas, who is also a mental health advocate, had personal best figures in the following categories: 3.5 sacks, 12 QB hits, 2 FFs, and 2 pass deflections.

It’s obvious that health and experience will benefit the Jets group of QB hunters this off-season. The Jets may not be able to bring back the days of showcasing a few Pro Bowl DL, but they can absolutely be a middle-of-the-pack pass-rushing force in 2022. Some Jets fans might say that the sky is the limit for the Jets DL with Saleh’s attitude.

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By: Jake Rajala

The New York Jets have struggled to be any type of force in the AFC over the past decade. It may be easy to blame Adam Gase or Joe Namath’s deal with the devil for the Jets failure to make the playoffs since 2010, but NY simply hasn’t found success at the lead head coach spot, the quarterback position, or as a collective unit.

After Rex Ryan led an underdog team to the AFC championship in 2009 and 2010, Ryan, Todd Bowles, Gase, and Robert Saleh haven’t brought the team in the Big Apple back to the playoff dance. The Jets management hasn’t really helped the HC and roster to be dangerous, as the Jets have showcased the following signal-callers since 2010: Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Josh McCown, Sam Darnold, and Zach Wilson. The Jets haven’t even found a slightly above average QB in a span of 12 years.

With that said, there is hope amid Gang Green nation that the tides are turning in NY. The Jets drafted a superb CB in Ahmad Gardner after inking CB D.J. Reed in free agency. The Jets Achilles heel on defense was unequivocally the CB talent last season. At pick 10, the Jets went offense and picked WR Garrett Wilson. The Jets have really loaded up on WR talent over the past couple of seasons. Many Jets fans feel the Jets should have spent some of their money and draft ammunition to improve the Jets pass protection over adding more beef at the wideout position for Wilson. Nonetheless, it’s obvious that Wilson, Corey Davis, and Elijah Moore are excellent weapons on paper.

It’s not a myth that the Jets have gained more steam this offseason and they should have more fond memories in 2022 than in their 2021 campaign. It’s very possible that the Jets have growing pains with Zach Wilson behind their OL, but the combination of growth in Wilson and the WR talent can override some pain that Wilson will likely endure with his current pass protection.

The Cincinnati Bengals were AFC Champions last season, but Joe Burrow was also the most sacked QB in the league. The Bengals still had unique top-end success given the overly impressive QB-WR duo and very elite talent on defense (ex: Trey Hendrickson). The Bengals formula to be really competitive in 2021 could be inspiring for Jets nation “to be competitive” entering the 2022 campaign. I expect the second-year HC-QB combo to be able to win 8 games next season. It will be difficult for the Jets to make a large leap on offense and the Jets defense is very young and unproven. Wilson and his offense can make a lot of splash plays and potentially win 6-8 games, but it will be a daunting challenge for the Jets to have a winning record in the frigid AFC East next season.

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The New York Jets have a lot of ammunition (third-most in cap space, fourth pick in draft) to be a potent team in 2022. Robert Saleh will surely press the pedal to the metal, as his marriage with Zach Wilson is entering year two.

The Jets will look to be a very active squad in the 2022 free agency period. They certainly need to strike big on a few profiles and they have the firepower to do so. Well, who exactly is atop of the Jets free agency wishlist? Well, here are a few names.

• Allen Robinson – WR – Chicago Bears

Allen Robinson would be the focal point of the Jets offense and he would make a ton of money in the process. According to Heavy., the Jets could sign A-Rob on a prove-it deal. Their former BYU QB would needs his own juice in an AFC East division that features Josh Allen, Ma Jones, and Tua Tagovailoa. Robinson ousted 102 catches, 1,250 yards, and six touchdowns with Micthell Trubisky often starting at QB in 2020.

• Tyrann Mathieu – S – Kansas City Chiefs

The Honey Badger would be a very exciting signing for the Jets and he might be fascinated by the big lights in the Big Apple. Mathieu could arguably receive the biggest offer from the Jets and he could be a star in NY under Saleh. The Jets likely need to replace Marcus Maye, who is coming off an injury and may not be brought back. I’d like to see them target a safety like the Honey Badger or Marcus Williams over Maye, too.

• Chandler Jones – DE/OLB – Arizona Cardinals

If Chandler Jones (10.5 sacks in 2021) doesn’t want to return to the Cardinals, I have a feeling he will be overpaid by a team elsewhere. The Jets could honestly be the team to give him a universal amount of money. The Dolphins overpaid for Ndamukong Suh and I believe Jets could cough up the most for Jones. Still, I do believe he will not be a bust and he could be a pivotal factor in the Jets pass rush.

Jones and Quinnen Williams would be a surreal duo on the Jets DL. He could likely play 4-5 more seasons at a high level and that will be important for the Jets in the AFC who look to make a quick turnaround, just as Cincy did recently in their same conference.

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By: Jake Rajala

The dust of the beginning of the 2021 NFL season has settled down and three weeks of NFL action is nearly completed. It’s starting to become clear who the pretenders and contenders are in the NFL. There’s a lot of promise for the clear contenders in the league, while there’s a lot of uncertainty and dim looks for the pretenders in the league. For the pretenders in the league, questions surely loom. 

The biggest question marks will rest with the head coaches, also known as the leaders of the struggling organizations. With that being said, I’m going to outline the coaches that deserve the most scrutiny around the league. 

Robert Saleh

The New York Jets first-year head coach has put on a stingy defense in New York, but he hasn’t been able to have his defense stand out in takeaways or bail out their league’s worst offense. I never liked the popular hire of Robert Saleh, who didn’t forecast a ferocious defense last season and didn’t seem like the best fit for New York. 

Everybody is talking about Sam Darnold going 3-0 without Adam Gase, but nobody is talking about the Jets looking the same this season without Adam Gase. The Jets got absolutely embarrassed by the Denver Broncos in a 26-0 loss today. 

The lop-sided loss that New York encountered today marked the third defeat that New York has consumed this season. In back-to-back weeks, the prized Zach Wilson hasn’t just been awful, but Saleh’s new-look defense has been soft and blatantly unacceptable. If Saleh doesn’t put on a fighting chance for NY this season, he will be yet another former NFL defensive coordinator to run back to his previous prized program (Matt Patricia being the most recent). 

Bill Belichick 

Yes, Patriots HC Bill Belichick has “two hand fulls” of Super Bowl rings. Yet, the Patriots leader has started his team without former longtime Pats QB Tom Brady in the losing category for the second season in a row. 

The Pats, who were led out by the rookie QB Mac Jones, got controlled by the New Orleans Saints in a 28-13 loss, which places them at 1-2 on the season. The worst part of the Pats loss is that they had a very uncharacteristic loss. The Pats allowed a punt to be blocked and they also had numerous special teams penalties. Their big free-agent signing Jonnu Smith also had two terrible drops. The Pats need a strong and quick turnaround if they want to avoid starting 1-3 at the hands of the motivated, 44-year-old Tom Brady next week. 

Pete Carroll 

It’s evident that Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll has succeeded in upsetting Russell Wilson in 2021. The Seahawks legendary QB was furious over the lack of support he’s garnered in his tenure as a Seahawk. Well, it’s becoming more obvious why the great Seattle QB was upset with his situation. The timid 1-2 Seahawks don’t have a competitive pass defense, rushing attack, and the pass protection isn’t quite what it should be for a team holding a generational talent at QB. 

Carroll, who is also the oldest NFL head coach, failed to bring Seattle back to the Super Bowl when the Legion of Boom (LOB) was intact and now it’s looking more and more like he will be unable to bring dangeruss back to the promised land with him in the building. The Seahawks now sit at fourth place in the juggernaut NFC West division with a 1-2 record. Pete Carroll’s team has more talent than the two other squads mentioned on this list, but he will need to find some juice and potentially players if he wants to keep Wilson happy and his team alive in this year’s playoff pursuit.

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Daniel Racz

For the past few decades, the New York Jets have been one of the National Football Leagues’ laughing stocks. The lack of continuity at the coaching position and never having a true franchise quarterback has forced the Jets to sit in the league’s basement.

Despite the lackluster coaching staff put together by Adam Gase, the 2020 New York Jets showed promise at the end of the season. They even managed to win two football games, including one against a healthy Los Angeles Rams roster. The defense showed some strides towards the back end of the season, but they have a long way to go before they become a top group. The emergence of John Franklin-Meyers as a quality defensive lineman and the development of Quinnen Williams give Jets fans some reason for optimism, but the addition of head coach Robert Saleh will ultimately be the reason Gang Green’s defense will make a massive jump in 2021.

Constant Adaptation

Saleh’s defenses have always revolved around maximizing their roster. Saleh’s origins go back to the Seattle 4-3 defense which utilized cover three. However, as he rose the ranks, he incorporated more cover two elements. The shift from cover three to cover two frees up another defender to rush the passer, spy the quarterback or cover an underneath area as there are only two deep defenders.

Under Gase, the Jets ran a lot of 3-4 concepts, but switching to a 4-3 base may maximize the Jets’ defensive line. At Alabama, Quinnen Williams had tremendous success when he played in the interior. If he becomes more of a 4-3 defensive tackle, he will be able to dominate interior offensive lineman with his power and athleticism. 

Saleh’s recent San Francisco defenses featured phenomenal edge rushers. However, the Jets do not boast a great edge room, so Saleh will once again have to adapt to his roster. 

Improved Edge Unit

Last year, the Jets edge group was one of the worst in the league. The Jets’ top edge rusher, Tarell Basham, only had 3.5 sacks in all 16 games. Their next leading edge rusher, Jordan Jenkins, had only 2.0 sacks.  During the 2021 offseason, the Jets signed Bengals defensive end Carl Lawson to a 3-year, 45 million dollar contract. Last year, Lawson had 5.5 sacks and 32 QB hits. 

Saleh will feature Lawson as the Jets’ premier edge rusher. Lawson and company are not as skilled as Saleh’s past group of Dee Ford, Arik Armstead, and Nick Bosa. Saleh can utilize stuns, twists, and other schemed rushes to force pressure, but it will be a tough task.

Linebacker Development  

One of the most impressive parts of San Francisco under Saleh was the constant talent at the linebacker position. Fifth-round pick Dre Greenlaw has become an above-average starter, and third-round pick Fred Warner is one of the best coverage players in the entire league. 

The Jets linebacker room has been hyped up ever since the 2019 CJ Mosley signing, but they have not lived up to their expectations. Mosley missed most of the 2019 season due to injury and opted out of the 2020 season. If Robert Saleh gets the most out of Mosley, he could be a pro bowl linebacker. Deeper on the depth chart, Saleh could unlock Blake Cashman. Cashman is a freakish athlete, running a 4.50 40 yard dash at 237 pounds. The Jets also signed ex-Lion linebacker Jarrad Davis in free agency. Saleh’s staff has the chance to give the Jets a linebacker corps that will help their defense bounce back.

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