As layoff season draws near in the volatile NFL, we ranked 10 head coaches facing job security questions and heated seats after the first five weeks. Several coaches saw their seats heat up this week after multiple instances of coaching malpractice.
10. DeMeco Ryans
It doesn’t appear that Ryans’ professional status is in jeopardy yet. But for a team that entered the season with Super Bowl expectations, a 1-4 start is far from ideal.
The dynamic, however, seems to be on Houston’s side. Minutes after the Texans picked up their first win of the season (a decisive 26-3 win over the Titans), Ryans confirmed that Houston had acquired former Cardinals player Marvin Harrison Jr., who enjoyed a successful partnership with CJ Stroud at Ohio State.
Ryans’ team has a crucial showdown this Sunday in Jacksonville against the Jaguars, who are three games ahead of Houston in the AFC South standings.
9. Aaron Glenn
If only we lost in team performance, Glenn would definitely be in the hot seat. The Jets are just 5-17 since the start of the 2025 season, Glenn’s first in the Big Apple. New York is coming off a 17-12 victory over the Browns that ended a three-game losing streak.
It appears the Jets are content to give Glenn more time to turn things around. He’s signed through the 2029 season, and based on Woody Johnson’s previous comments, it appears the Jets owner wants to be more patient this time around. A horrible season, however, could force Johnson to make another coaching change.
8. Robert Saleh
Saleh doesn’t look like a coach worried about his job. When asked recently if he wanted to make any changes amid the Titans’ 0-5 start, Saleh said Tennessee was “in game five of year one.”
Either Saleh knows something we don’t, or he’s underestimating the situation in Nashville. Even though little was expected of them this season, the Titans fail to even reach this extremely low barespecially in attack. Tennessee’s defense (Saleh’s side of the ball) is 10th in the NFL in points allowed, but its offense is last in the NFL in scoring and 31st in assists.
Saleh could survive the season, but he will likely need changes to his offensive coaching staff if things don’t improve over the final 12 games of the season.
7. Brian Schottenheimer
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Immediately after last Thursday’s embarrassing loss to the previously winless Buccaneers, Schottenheimer announced that changes were coming for the 2-3 Cowboys.
Among the changes were hiring Mike Pettine as senior defensive assistant and moving defensive coordinator Christian Parker from the coach’s booth to the sideline. Dallas’ defense took matters into its own hands during a player-led meeting Monday.
Schottenheimer and company enter a defining stretch of the season with back-to-back prime-time road games against the Packers and Eagles. Rest assured that the results of these matches will shape Schottenheimer’s job security.
6. Shane Steichen
After an 0-2 start, the Colts evened their record and had a chance to get over .500 with a win last Sunday in Pittsburgh. But instead of that happening, the Colts lost another winnable game, which became a staple of Steichen’s time in Indianapolis.
While they’ve had their moments (especially last year’s 8-2 start), the Colts have yet to turn the corner under Steichen, whose record in Indianapolis is 27-29 and includes just one winning season and no playoff seasons. It’s hard to imagine the Colts retaining him if this season mimics the previous three.
One of the biggest current conundrums in Indianapolis is the defense given Steichen’s experience as defensive coordinator. While the Colts are fourth in the NFL in red zone efficiency, their defense ranks near the bottom in most other categories in the league.
Moore’s seat warmed considerably after Saints owner Gayle Benson publicly expressed her disappointment with the team’s 1-4 start.
“I will not make excuses and I will not accept this level of performance as the norm,” Benson said. “I am committed to making the decisions necessary to improve this team. Everyone in this organization understands the urgency. We need to prepare better, execute consistently and correct the mistakes that cost us games.”
The Saints were considered a dark horse candidate to win the NFC South after Moore’s team won four straight games at the end of the 2025 season. New Orleans played well in the first three weeks of the season, but was completely dominated by the visiting Falcons in week four. Last Sunday, the Saints offense gained just 142 yards and committed three turnovers in a 23-13 loss to the Vikings.
Mounting injuries have undoubtedly contributed to the Saints’ recent plight. Benson, however, is determined to see results, not excuses.
“Words won’t restore confidence to our fans,” she said. “Our performance has to do that.”
4. Nick Sirianni
Although this is nothing compared to what happened in Washington, the end of game blunder against the Jaguars in London was nevertheless brutal. Instead of throwing the ball into the end zone with eight seconds remaining, Sirianni opted to kick it onside, resulting in a 53-yard return that allowed Jacksonville to score the game-winning field goal as time expired.
As all good leaders do, Sirianni took responsibility for this loss. But that didn’t spare him criticism from Philadelphia fans who were already on his case before Sunday’s debacle.
It’s not hyperbole to say that the Eagles – now 2-3 – are entering the most important stretch of the season. They will host the Panthers on Sunday, then play three straight games against division foes before their Week 10 bye. All but one of those games will be at home.
3. Jim Harbaugh
Los Angeles hired Harbaugh to help Justin Herbert get to the next level. Instead, the Chargers have gone two winless seasons in the playoffs and are 0-5.
Herbert is largely responsible for the Chargers’ current predicament. Some of this criticism is justified, but there is plenty of blame to be had. Herbert has had shaky pass protection and his receiving corps is disappointing. He also doesn’t get along with Mike McDaniel.
For those who think Harbaugh’s previous success might buy him more time, Chargers owner Dean Spanos fired Marty Schottenheimer after a 14-2 season.
2. Dan Quinn
Quinn’s first season in Washington was magical, but the more the Commanders lose, the more distant this season seems.
If Quinn was not in the hot seat before Sunday, he now follows Washington’s decision. overtime disaster which prevented the Commanders from achieving their second victory of the season. Washington is now 6-15-1 under Quinn since the start of the 2025 season.
Instead of winning this game and tying their record at 2-2, the Commanders are now 1-3-1 with an upcoming road game against the 5-0 49ers. Barring any surprises, Washington will enter its Week 7 bye at 1-4-1.
1. Todd Bowles
Bowels and his team showed great determination last Thursday night in Dallas by securing their first victory of the season. The Buccaneers received big performances from undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels and Bucky Irving, who rushed for a career-high 165 yards. The Buccaneers defense also came up with a decisive stand.
The Buccaneers host a Steelers team on Sunday that is 0-2 on the road and playing without three of its receivers, including Michael Pittman. This is a winnable game that the Buccaneers must win if they want to turn the tide.
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