As December kicks off, the NFL playoff picture is starting to take shape - and so is the coaching hot seat. With two more head coaches shown the door since the last round of firings, the pressure is mounting across the league.
The Giants and Titans have both moved on from their head coaches, joining the Saints and Cardinals as franchises officially out of playoff contention. And while some coaches have managed to cool their seats with recent surges, others are seeing the heat crank up to uncomfortable levels.
Let’s take a closer look at five coaches facing serious questions about their futures as we head down the stretch of the regular season.
1. Pete Carroll (Raiders)
Things have unraveled fast in Las Vegas. When the Raiders brought in Pete Carroll, expectations were sky-high.
He was supposed to bring veteran leadership, a winning pedigree, and a stabilizing presence. Instead, it’s been a season defined by chaos and regression.
The decision to hire Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator - and make him the highest-paid in the league - backfired in a big way. Kelly was dismissed after Week 12, and he wasn’t the only one. Special teams coordinator Tom McMahon was let go after Week 10, signaling deeper dysfunction within the coaching staff.
Then there’s the quarterback situation. Carroll’s reunion with Geno Smith has been a disaster.
Smith is tied for the league lead in interceptions (14), and the offense is sputtering - averaging just 259.5 yards per game, third-worst in the NFL. For a team that went all-in on win-now moves this offseason, the results have been anything but.
Carroll, at 74, is the oldest head coach in NFL history. While his energy is undeniable, the lack of cohesion and clear regression on both sides of the ball has put his future in serious doubt. According to recent league reporting, even within the building, there’s a growing sense that Carroll’s grip on the team is slipping.
2. Jonathan Gannon (Cardinals)
The Cardinals have dropped nine of their last ten, and the losses aren’t the only concern. Gannon’s tenure has been marred by questionable decisions and off-field missteps that have only compounded Arizona’s problems.
Back in Week 5, Gannon drew internal discipline after berating running back Emari Demercado following a costly fumble. The team fined him $100,000 - a rare move against a head coach - and Gannon later issued an apology. But the incident raised questions about his leadership style.
Then came the Kyler Murray saga. Gannon’s handling of Murray’s injury and benching was baffling - publicly stating Murray was the starter if healthy and then saying he wouldn’t start even if healthy, all within the same day. That kind of mixed messaging doesn’t inspire confidence, especially for a team trying to build around a franchise quarterback - or move on from one.
The disconnect between Murray and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing’s scheme has been glaring, and it’s unclear if Murray will even be on the roster next season. Gannon, a former defensive coordinator in Philadelphia, hasn’t been able to turn around Arizona’s defense either. This year’s unit, decimated by injuries, is trending toward the bottom of the league in most categories.
Despite all that, there’s speculation Gannon could get another year - largely because the Cardinals are still paying off former GM Steve Keim and ex-head coach Kliff Kingsbury. But three straight losing seasons, a struggling defense, and a murky quarterback future don’t paint a promising picture.
3. Raheem Morris (Falcons)
The Falcons are spiraling. After a promising start, they’ve now lost six of their last seven, including a 27-24 heartbreaker to the Jets that all but ended their playoff hopes in a wide-open NFC South.
Morris is in his third season and still searching for his first winning campaign. Atlanta’s quarterback situation hasn’t helped.
The team made a splash in the offseason by signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $160 million deal - then turned around and drafted Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall. The result?
Confusion and underperformance.
Cousins struggled early and was eventually benched. Penix showed flashes but never found consistency before suffering a season-ending ACL injury in mid-November. Add in Morris’ ongoing game management issues, and it’s clear the Falcons are a team without a clear identity.
Atlanta also mortgaged part of its future by sending its 2026 first-round pick to the Rams to draft edge rusher James Pearce Jr. That move, combined with the quarterback carousel and inconsistent coaching, has left the franchise in a precarious spot. GM Terry Fontenot is also under pressure, and while Morris reportedly has a strong relationship with owner Arthur Blank, results matter - and right now, they’re not there.
4. Kevin Stefanski (Browns)
Cleveland’s quarterback situation continues to be a revolving door, and now Shedeur Sanders is the latest to step into the fire. Whether he’s the long-term answer remains to be seen, but the Browns could be in the market for yet another quarterback come draft time.
The good news? The defense is loaded. Myles Garrett continues to play at an elite level, and the team has promising young talent on offense, including rookie running back Quinshon Judkins and tight end Harold Fannin Jr.
But the record speaks for itself. Since Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry signed extensions ahead of the 2024 season, the Browns have gone 6-23. That kind of slide is hard to ignore, especially with the roster showing signs of life in other areas.
Stefanski’s offensive background hasn’t translated into consistent production, and the quarterback carousel has only added to the instability. If Sanders doesn’t seize the job down the stretch, the Browns may be hitting reset - again.
5. Zac Taylor (Bengals)
It wasn’t long ago that Zac Taylor had the Bengals in the Super Bowl. But in the NFL, memories fade fast - and so do playoff berths.
Cincinnati has now missed the postseason two years in a row, and this season, the defense has completely collapsed. Under new coordinator Al Golden, the Bengals rank dead last in both total yardage and points allowed. That’s a brutal drop for a team that once prided itself on complementary football.
Taylor’s tenure has been defined by big highs - like the 2021 Super Bowl run and a 12-win season in 2022 - but also by inconsistency. The Bengals have never finished higher than 16th in total defense under his watch, and the current trajectory is concerning.
Still, Taylor may benefit from the organization’s patient approach. Owner Mike Brown is known for his reluctance to pay coaches not to coach, which could buy Taylor more time than he might get elsewhere. But make no mistake - if things don’t turn around soon, even that patience could wear thin.
Final Word
Coaching in the NFL is a results-driven business, and as the playoff race heats up, so does the scrutiny. For some of these coaches, the final weeks of the season could be make-or-break. Whether it’s failed quarterback gambles, misfiring offenses, or locker room turmoil, the pressure is on - and the clock is ticking.