Hot Seat Index: NFL coaches in danger, or safer than you think
 

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/hot-sea...ry?id=43856245

Hot Seat Index: NFL coaches in danger, or safer than you think

We're nearly three-quarters of the way through the 2016 NFL season, and?we have a good picture of which teams have exceeded expectations and which teams are coming up short. For the latter, that means head coaches are going to get fired.

With five more weeks of the season remaining, here's an inside look at which coaches could be on the way out after the season -- and which are likely to stick around -- based on?discussions with several personnel executives around the league.

Squarely on the hot seat

Gus Bradley, Jacksonville Jaguars

This was supposed to be the season in which the Jaguars took the leap forward. They spent big money in free agency, and from talking to sources with other teams, personnel executives said they thought this was a talented, young roster. Instead, the Jaguars are 2-9 in Bradley's fourth season, and they have?come up short of expectations.?The Jags are guaranteed to finish with a record at .500 or under for the ninth straight season.

While a team source said Bradley's situation will be reviewed after the season, he has compiled a career record of 14-45 in Jacksonville.

After last season, the team extended Bradley's contract through the 2017 season in order to give him a better chance at succeeding; it planned to make several roster upgrades, which the front office has clearly done. And while it's obvious the roster is more talented than when Bradley took over in 2013, the team has significantly underachieved this season. That doesn't bode well for Bradley's future.

Warming up

Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are almost certain to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2010. So what has happened to this team?

From talking to a team source, the roster, especially on the defensive side of the ball, has gotten really old and needs an infusion of younger and more athletic players. While the team feels good about its deep and talented secondary, more talent needs to be added to the front seven, the source added. And on offense, the Bengals have yet to adequately replace former starting receiver? Marvin Jones, who signed with the Lions in free agency.

So, what about the future of Lewis, whose contract expires after 2017?

Lewis has a larger say in the roster than he did when he landed the job in 2003, but owner Mike Brown still picks the players. And it's no secret in league circles that Brown does not like paying coaches who are not working with the Bengals. While Lewis, who is 115-101-3 in 14 years as Cincinnati's coach, has done a terrific job of turning around the team since he took over, he still has not won a playoff game. That is why he'll remain on the hot seat -- at least until Brown goes on the record and says the veteran coach will be back for another season.

Jeff Fisher, Los Angeles Rams

In the preseason edition of the Hot Seat Index, we didn't have Fisher on the hot seat because sources said he was close to signing a new deal with the Rams. In fact, some sources believed the team would announce his new contract after it got off to a surprising 3-1 start. But since then, the Rams are?1-6, and there have been no updates from the team regarding Fisher's contract situation. His contract expires after this season.

With the team a near lock to finish with a non-winning season for the 13th straight year and Fisher's eighth straight as a coach, he'll remain on the hot seat until the Rams announce a decision on his future. He's 31-43-1 in five years with the franchise.

Mike McCoy, San Diego Chargers

Sources from other teams maintain the Chargers are still very competitive despite a 5-6 record. And San Diego has?16 players on injured reserve, which is among the highest in the league.

But because the team has finished no higher than third in the AFC West during McCoy's previous three seasons and finished 4-12 in 2015, questions still remain?about his future. And the team has not said he'll be back for sure next season. He signed a one-year extension through 2017 at the end of last season. After 9-7 seasons in his first two years as coach, McCoy is 9-18 since.

Colder than you think

Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers

For the first time in many years, the veteran coach is receiving criticism from some personnel sources I've spoken to across the NFL. A few of them have mentioned that McCarthy needs to be more creative with his offense in order to help quarterback Aaron Rodgers, whose performance this season has been disappointing compared to previous seasons.

But should McCarthy, who has put together seven straight playoff appearances, including one Super Bowl title, and is 109-61-1, really be mentioned as potentially on the hot seat?

One long-tenured NFL personnel source said that while McCarthy deserves some criticism for the team's 5-6 record, it's hardly a reason to suggest the veteran coach should be concerned about his job security.

"I think what you're hearing is more media-driven than anything else," the source said. "The team has fallen off this season, so it's open season on the coach. The reality is that other than [Patriots coach Bill] Belichick, show me another guy who hasn't had a down season."

Rex Ryan, Buffalo Bills
We had Ryan under the hot section before this season started. The reason was simple: Ryan had not posted a winning record in his previous five years as a head coach, and there was chatter around the NFL that he had trouble getting the most out of his players.

After 11 games this season, however, the 6-5 Bills are a competitive team despite injury issues on both sides of the ball. Owner Terry Pegula has preached continuity publicly and privately, a team source said. So don't look for anything to happen here.

john Fox, Chicago Bears

After doing slightly better than most personnel executives expected in his first season with a record of 6-10, the Bears have dropped off significantly this season under Fox, with a disappointing 2-9 record.

But there are reasons for the drop-off. The team will place its 15th player on injured reserve this week once it makes the expected move with linebacker? Danny Trevathan (knee). And keep in mind two key players are serving suspensions (wide receiver? Alshon Jeffery and inside linebacker? Jerrell Freeman).

As one team source said, there's simply no way to properly evaluate this team and the coaches with so many key players?out.

Chuck Pagano, Indianapolis Colts

Last November, we had Pagano leading the hot-seat section. He was in the final year of his contract, and he and general manager Ryan Grigson did not have a good working relationship. In fact, it was quite strained at that point, team sources said. Since then, both men had their contracts extended for four seasons and have formed a much better working relationship.

Owner Jim Irsay made it clear that he wanted what was the NFL's oldest roster to become significantly younger, and a team source said Grigson had to address the roster issues on the offensive line, which he did with three selections in the first five rounds of April's draft.

While the 5-6 Colts haven't significantly improved this season, they still are very much in the hunt for first place in the AFC South, and there are no indications Pagano is in jeopardy of losing his job one season after signing an extension. He's 46-29 in five seasons in Indianapolis.

Safe

Todd Bowles, New York Jets
In Bowles' first year with the Jets in 2015, a plugged-in team source felt the team exceeded expectations. The Jets posted a very respectable 10-6 record but did not make the playoffs. Because the team had such a solid record, however, expectations were raised for Bowles despite a roster that needed upgrading in more than a few areas.

Personnel executives from other teams who have watched the Jets' game tape this season pointed out to me that the team has gotten old on offense -- seven starters were at least 29 years old to start the season -- and they look slower on that side of the ball. And the defense, which Bowles still has a large hand in managing, has issues?in the secondary.

General manager Mike Maccagnan has a challenge on his hands, and he has control of the personnel, a team source confirmed. The Jets' issues this season largely are due to having an incomplete roster, and Bowles, who is in the second year of a four-year deal, should not take the blame, even with New York at 3-8.

If the colts keep pags the tears from colts fans/media will be glorious

The Bears ****ed themselves with Fox. He's got 2 years left on his deal, but absolutely should be shit canned. The guy had 2 key players get suspended for banned substances in the same week. They're primed to draft a young QB who's development will be ****ed by an organization stringing along a has-been coach for the remainder of his deal.

Pagano isn't the problem there. It's Grigson.

He makes guys like Telesco and Baalke look like GM of the Decade candidates.

Fire Reid

It's both Pags was brought in to save the defense and colts D has been a burning trash heep since he got there.


Grigs at least drafted Hilton Luck Allen and Mewhort it's not the best but Baalke is in league of his own when it comes to worse GM's in the NFL.

Marvin Lewis should've been fired after last season....how he'd survive another bad season I'll never know.

I think the recent Eric Dickerson feud with Fisher should be the final straw for Jeffy boy.

Dickerson owning fisher in the news yesterday was classic

http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/l...129-story.html

F Jeff Fisher.

In his conference call today, he thinks Danny Woodhead still plays for the Pats.

Fisher needs to go, like yesterday. He's lived off less than any other coach that I can think of in recent history.

And the worst part is he's supposedly preparing to play them in 3 days, but doesn't know any of their RB's other than Blount, whom he laughingly takes credit for giving him his start in the league because he signed him as a UDFA & then cut him before ever playing.

However I still don't think Fisher's on the hot seat at all. The COO of the Rams is already using the move as an excuse & has said that Fisher shouldn't be judged by his record. In fact he wouldn't even confirm that Fisher hasn't already signed an extension.

How Marvin Lewis and Jeff Fisher are still employed as head coaches in the NFL is completely beyond me.

I'd keep McCarthy, but the rest of those guys are without a doubt replaceable.

Unfortunately, embarrassing yourself every Sunday and making the entire world wonder if the computer on Madden at Rookie level would coach better than you is not enough to put you on the hot seat.

meanwhile kc fans want to fire the the HC with the best winning percentage in team history LMAO

yall crack me up

Billick won a superbowl with the ravens and still got fired who knew being a offensive minded coach with a trash offense year end and year out will piss fans off.

Just the loons. Most of us just want him to focus on being the head coach and leave the playcalling to his offensive coordinators.

Are you leaving out the spot where he got fired after going 5-11 and missing the playoffs 4 out of the next 7 years?

Are you leaving out the part where he was gonna blasted in the media for his offense almost every year.

They were a joke before Flacco was drafted.

Which wont happened sadly :(

Who cares if he was? He wasn't winning football games. We are. This chiefs team is nothing like that ravens team. Andy hasn't had a season under 9-7. Get used to him

Shoe dropped in Baltimore for Billick only a matter of time until it drops for Reid.

Keep praying that the team you "root" for starts losing games

well that would be good

I don't want my team to lose it's just a side effect of a shit offense.

Cant rely on turnovers forever.

Geez.. Fisher gets a 2 year extension in LA. What the hell?

Kroenke really doesn't care if his teams win or not, he said as much to Manchester U fans, as long as he is making money.

Chip Kelley and Hue Jackson safe?

Both inherited the worst rosters in the NFL... you would think they get more than 1 season...

Fisher = Gone
Lewis = Gone
Pagano = Gone

Bradley = ? If they beat Denver today would be HUGE and will be forced to bring in a legit OC and I can see this happening, but then he could be very well axed as well.

Fox = lean safe

McCoy = Safe = injuries galore and they are the best 5-6 team I have ever seen at this point for sure.

McCarthy = Safe

Bowles = Safe

And people complain about the Hunts. I would call Jeff Fisher mediocre, but that would be too kind. He is awful! 5 years and I don't think he's had a single winning season for them. Yet they extended him?? We would be flying banners the rest of this season and beyond.

Yep ! But Kelly will be fired in due time. He is the modern day Spurier who thinks his offense which is nothing more than a gimmick translates to the NFL and will be back in the college ranks very soon within 2-3yrs if not sooner.

Most puzzling GM moves in recent years for me were the Texans signing Osweiller and what did they see in him and the Niners signing Kelly after he blew up Philly which says a ton about Pederson and what he has done with that team.

FYP

Whoops ! didn't read the date on the article and just gave my predictions. My bad.

Fisher extended ??? Not good.

HOW DID FISHER GET EXTENDED

He is into Scientology and is deeply connected with the Hollywood elite.:D

Good. **** Kroenke. I hope Fisher crashes and burns that team.

Fisher is taking alot of shots from the LA media. He reiterates a special relationship he has with Kroenke and is working on rebuilding the team for the future. Stan is going to need to force his hand when he has trouble with personal seat licenses for the new Stadium. Yet he stands to make a huge fortune on the Inglewood development deal, (hotels, housing, NFL offices, future SB site) the LA Rams are just an after thought.

Koenke doesn't give a crap about winning as long as he is making money. He told Arsenal* fans that after he bought the team. He just isn't going to spend the money to win championships period.

*I was wrong earlier when I said Manchester United. He owns a large stake in Arsenal.

The Bengals probably saved Lewis's job today as stupid as that would be.

Pagano is awful. His teams are terribly undisciplined and unprepared. They commit horrific penalties at inopportune times, are never ready to play, and he never makes any type of adjustments once the game begins. The only reason he kept his job was he managed to scapegoat Pep Hamilton in the hazy eyes of Jim Irsay.

He's a likable guy but a horrendous, Rich Kotite, Rod Marinelli type head coach. Andrew Luck has carried this team since the day he got there.

Granted, Pagano hasn't had much talent to work with but they supposedly make personnel decisions jointly, especially since they were both extended last year.

They let their best linebacker walk to Chicago and signed nobody to replace him. I don't know whose idea that was but they should be shot. They have the worst LB's I've ever seen.

The GM's dad is Fisher's BFF.

And the whole organization is a tire fire.

And a bunch of sword swallowers wanted him HERE :Lin:

Hate to say I told you guys so regarding Fisher. He was getting extended almost regardless of record this season. In fact it's coming out now that the deal has been done for a while. Which explains why Demoff wouldn't say last week whether Fisher had already been extended, because he already had.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ned-weeks-ago/

I mean who's ever heard of a team hiding the fact that they've extended a coach or a player? What a joke.

I can't believe that Fisher has a job.


It would be a hopeless feeling being a fan of his teams.

Hes the 'Cutler, Rivers, Romo' of coaches.

Hes not great, but hes never truly awful either. He always does 'just enough' to keep a job.

Fisher's last winning season was 2008 and has gone 1-7 in the last 8 games this year. Can't recall a coach ever being extended in this type of situation.

They must like the shape of his lips...

He's made the playoffs 6 times in 22 years. That's truly awful.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I wish the league had a way to force Kroenke out, he's an embarrassment to humanity

Still a head scratcher as to why/how Jeff Fisher still has a job.

Why would Hue be in trouble. Haslam called it a multi year rebuild and honestly the only poor decision Hue has made was wanting Kessler over Dak. But that's forgivable. He hasn't lost the locker room despite starting 4 different qbs.

ROFL

LA Rams just surpassed the Browns as the dumbest franchise in the NFL with the Fisher extension.

Maybe they are keeping him so they have a top 3 draft pick for the next 4 years?

If you believe Fisher he was actually extended during the offseason.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/l...204-story.html

Now why an organization would give a coach a double secret extension & then announce it when the coach is about to drop to 4-8 & set the all time record for losses in anyone's guess. It's almost like they're trying to look bad.

He's good at making excuses.

http://www.sbnation.com/2016/12/4/13...-and-9-excuses

6 to 7 HC's change over on average, so here's my short list for canning....

Gus Bradley, Jacksonville

Absolutely not the season for poor results. A blossoming offense with great receivers and a young quarterback. A defense that had a ton of good money thrown at it in the offsesason. A rather weak, but up-and-coming division. Seriously, 2-10?

Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati

This team is playoff calibur. Absolutely no excuses for 4-7-1. Good-to-great offense and some promising young wideouts behind AJ Green. A defense that still features a tough front 7. What's the problem Marv?

John Fox, Chicago

Brought in to help right a ship that continues to sink under his watch. Look for this team to bring in fresh faces at HC and QB this offseason. They have to be more competitive in a division that has left them behind.

Jeff Fisher, Los Angeles

You haven't had a winning season since joining the Rams, and even that extends an extra two year to your time with the Titans. Youth or not, the Rams can't keep spinning their wheels with a head coach who can't win.

Bruce Arians, Arizona

An ultra-talented roster that has underperformed in a division severely lacking for competition. Continual run-ins with players and openly and publicly trashes players. Health issues continue. Not good ways to endear the trust of the team nor ownership.

Mike McCoy, San Diego

Two consecutive seasons of injury pile-ups has to be a huge red flag about standards of conditioning and so forth. Huge leads blown is a regular event. Definitely more questions about this team than answers.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Five years after hiring Jeff Fisher, the Rams now rank 32nd in points, 32nd in yards, and 32nd in first downs <a href="https://t.co/9bLIZHD0jN">https://t.co/9bLIZHD0jN</a></p>&mdash; Football Perspective (@fbgchase) <a href="https://twitter.com/fbgchase/status/806327080967405568">December 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Holy hell are the rams bad.

But but but he's "been through" a relocation before. Like that neans jack shit.

The season isn't over yet and already 3 head coaches fires. This article thought that Rex Ryan was relatively safe, I guess not. Who else gets fired on Monday? McCoy and Lewis for sure I would think?

Who's out besides Ryan and Bradley?

Bowles about has to be done there right?

Pagano is about done right?

I've heard a lot of jabber about Ariens too.

My guess is that Bowles stays.

I think the guys who get fired are:
Marvin Lewis, Mike McCoy, and John Fox. But then again, aren't 6-7 fired every year?

Fisher was already fired too.

I would agree that Pagano will likely be gone. The Colts need a new GM more though. The Colts are piss poor at acquiring talent. And I don't knoq about Bowles. He might get a pass due to Fitzpatrick being so awful this year, but I could certainly see him being gone too.

Pagano should be. Marvin Lewis should be. Bowles wouldn't be a surprise. McCoy obviously.

Did Clay's latest mult get banned? I was expecting to see a Smasher post in here saying Reid should be on the hot seat.

There's no such thing as a "hot seat" in KC.

Doh. How did I forget about capt 7-9

Not when the coach has averaged 10 plus wins per season for the past 4 years. But I know, you think that we should get rid of the guy that has more wins the past 4 years than any coach in the league and a top 10 winningest coach of all time because he gets too conservative with a lead and doesn't stretch the field enough. Well, I think his record speaks for itself. I bet that you were one the guys supporting San Diego when they fired Schottenheimer after a 14-2 season and hired Norv Turner to take his place. That worked out well for them now didn't it? San Diego went full reerun. Don't ever go full reerun.

Fisher said he wasn't going to coach another ****ing 7-9, 8-8, or 9-7 season this year. Gotta give him credit, he kept his word.

LOL yes he did.

I will have to eat a little crow on that one, I was surprised they actually did it. But it got absolutely embarrassing there at the end.

Oh I'm sorry, I should have clarified:

That was a historical context post.

But thanks for playing and really going all-out in your Reid defense!

Chip Kelly most likely

Some guy came over from Israel and beat Claynus' face in at Lew's and he won't be posting here for a while.

Read it on here somewhere.

Dinny

I considered the historical context, but considering how many coaches this team has been through since Schottenheimer, what you said didn't make any sense. I then factored in that you were responding to my comment that Clay would be in here clamoring for Reid to be on the hot seat and surmised that you had to be referring to Reid.