NFL Coaches on the Hot Seat

White hot

Dallas/Phillips Last week owner Jerry Jones told his coach in public what people had been saying for a year—Win in the playoffs or you're gone. There are just 3 problems with Phillips' chances for being back next year. First, the team has under the control of Phillips done very badly in December. An example of that was their 31-24 loss to the stumbling Giants last week. Second, the team has not won a playoff game since Moses was a small child, or at least to the fans it seems that long.

But the most significant reason is there are several “brand” name coaches that have won Super Bowls available. Names like Gruden, Cowher, and Shanahan make Jones drool. Jones wants to make a splash similar to the Jones Palace stadium. OC Jason Garrett is supposedly the coach in waiting. He will be waiting a long time because when the change is made Jer will go for the name not CIW. The Boys is a very attractive job because the team has under achieved for the entire tenure of Phillips.

Washington/Zorn Under Zorn the team's record has gotten worse each year. 2007- 9-7 2008 8-8 2009 3-9 to this point. Owner Daniel Snyder said he hurt for the fans at 2-5. He will not hurt for Zorn. The Z man is gone and Snyder will try to outbid the Boys for a name coach. The problem that he can not overcome is that he has much less talent on this team than Dallas has. The coaches with credentials will prefer the Boys to the Skins.

Oakland/Cable If Cable could only get the team to fight like the coaches do—oh well. Cable is on the hot seat because he benched QB disaster Russell and because his owner is Al Davis. Enough said.

Cleveland/Mangini Mangini thinks that the fan cry for his firing is just noise. Owner Lerner has talked about bringing in a football Czar with great cred to change the direction of the team. The problem is that reportedly he has invited several such potential Czars to interview. They have seen that job and wouldn't touch it with a 40 foot pole with a 30 foot extension. The only thing that might save Mangenous' job is that he has screwed the team and roster up so badly that no one with half a brain would want to even try to fix it.

Extremely warm seat

Tampa Bay/Morris and GM Dominik. Both are first time holders of their current jobs and are clearly in over their heads as head coach and GM respectively. In January 09 Morris was named Defensive Coordinator then went to get a haircut. When he came back, Gruden had been fired and he had been named Head Coach. When long time DC Monte Kiffin the new administration named Jim Bates to replace him and Jeff Jagodzinski to be Offensive coordinator. Ten days before the season started Jag was history because of a less than stunning preseason by the O. After the team dropped to 1-10 with a 38-7 loss to the Saints, Morris assumed DC responsibilities from Bates. The two took over a roster that started out 9-3 in 08 before injuries resulted in a 4 game losing streak and a 9-7 record.

The Owner Malcolm Glazer has to realize that both these bozos are way too inexperienced to handle their current jobs. He may choose to bring in an experienced people to help both try to learn on the job or fire them and try again depending on who is available.

Houston/Kubiac Kubiac took over the team in 06 and can't get this team over the .500 mark. In 07 and 08 the team was 8-8. The biggest problem they have is they can't seem to win division games against Indy and Tennessee. There was some hope as the Titans struggled earlier in the season but now they have climbed over the Texans due to tie breakers. That got the seat warming started. The seat has gotten hotter because Jacksonville is now a competitor for the wild card seat. The team is average and won't get above 500 without a super coach.

Starting to heat up

Chicago/Smith Smith has suffered as many critical injuries as any coach in the league. Those plus the resurgence of the Vikes have driven the Bears to a 5-7 record. He was under a lot of pressure after a 7-9 season in 07 but recovered a little last year with a reversal of that mark. Now even though he has coached the team to a Super Bowl, the heat is back. The Bears have gotten old. The trades and draft choices that GM Angelo has made have not worked out. Smith is going to have to win at least 3 of his final 4 games to survive. Angelo may go as well.

NY Giants/Coughlin Not many people are talking about Coughlin being on the hot seat but I think he is. After getting an extension with the Super Bowl win against the Pats in the 07 season, his team had a disappointing 08 and is stuck in 3rd place in the division in 09 with a 7-5 record. If the Giants don't make the playoffs and get to the NFC Championship game, Coughlin will be in trouble. He may survive one more year or may be gone in January.

Carolina/Fox This is another little talked about situation. This team was 12-4 last year but then folded in the playoffs due to interceptions thrown by QB Delhomme. This year Fox started him again only to be forced to replace him mid season. The team is 5-7 and will probably lose all 4 of their remaining games against NE, MIN, NYGiants and NO. If he goes 5-11 he is gone.

Cooling a bit

Jacksonville/Del Rio Last year Del Rio barely survived but he has the team playing much better this season and right now is line for a playoff spot. He has a tough schedule the rest of the way with games against NE and Indy. To make the playoffs he needs to win one of those games plus the two against the Browns and the Dolphins. If he makes the playoffs he is safe for a couple of more years. If not, he may not survive this off season.

That's what I think. Tell me what you think.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He is a senior writer for http://NFLDraftDog.com and edits http://fryingpansports.com. He has also published several novels on http://www.eBooks-Library/Contemporary/Author.cfm?AuthorID=1003 and edits http://fryingpanpolitics.blog.com.