Nine weeks into the 2024 NFL season, two head coaches have been fired: Robert Saleh of the New York Jets, who was let go after the team’s 2-3 start and Dennis Allen, who was let go after the New Orleans’ Saints 2-7 start to the season.
While most organizations typically try to wait until the offseason to make a change, several head coaches and coordinators are in for a stressful Monday morning. Let’s examine which coaches are currently feeling the heat.
Which NFL Coaches Have Been Fired This Season?
Dennis Allen | HC, New Orleans Saints
After starting the season 2-0 and scoring 91 points in their first two games, the Saints have lost seven straight games and Allen’s defense has totally collapsed. On Monday, the Saints fired Allen.
In Week 9, the Saints suffered their worst loss of the season. Despite quarterback Derek Carr returning from an oblique injury, New Orleans still couldn’t defeat the lowly Carolina Panthers.
Allen’s defense allowed 23 points to Carolina, including two rushing touchdowns to Chuba Hubbard and a passing score to rookie Xavier Legette. The Panthers and Saints now have the same record (2-7), and Bryce Young picked up his third career win.
Since outscoring opponents 91-29 (+62) during their 2-0 start, the Saints have been outscored 200-116 (-84) during their seven-game losing streak.
Not only is Allen’s .333 winning percentage the worst among active coaches, it is the worst winning percentage of any head coach over the last 30 years (minimum 75 games coached). Allen finished 18-25 during his three-plus seasons in New Orleans.
Luke Getsy | OC, Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders have reportedly fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Following the team’s fifth consecutive loss, it was apparently time for change in Las Vegas.
While many were surprised to see Luke Getsy receive another opportunity as an offensive coordinator in the NFL this offseason, the Raiders were willing to give him another chance. Getsy’s offenses ranked in the bottom half of the NFL in both of his seasons as offensive coordinator in Chicago.
The Raiders currently average just 18.7 points per game in 2024, the seventh-lowest average in the NFL. While Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce clearly thought it was time for a change, it’s hard to envision Las Vegas’ offense improving much given the team’s lack of talent.
Pelissero mentioned former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Scott Turner as a logical candidate to replace Getsy. Turner is currently the Raiders pass game coordinator.
Robert Saleh | HC, New York Jets
Two days after the Jets dropped to 2-3 after a loss in London to the Minnesota Vikings, New York parted ways with Saleh after three-plus seasons.
The team also relieved offensive coordinator Nathanial Hackett of play-calling duties, turning them over to Todd Downing instead.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich stepped in as the interim for a team still in the AFC East race. This is the first time owner Woody Johnson has elected to make a mid-season change on the sidelines, which likely means we have a deep pool of replacement candidates as he tries to adjust on the fly for a team that entered the season in win-now mode.
In Week 9, the Jets picked up a much-needed win over the Houston Texans on Thursday Night Football to improve to 3-6 on the season. The Jets entered this week with a 22.3% chance of making the playoffs, but their postseason odds climbed to 37% with Thursday’s win.
Rumors are going to swirl around Bill Belichick, but with his TV commitments, that seems more of a dream than a reality at this moment. Instead, here are some more realistic head coach candidates in 2025.
What NFL Coaches Are on the Hot Seat?
Brian Daboll | HC, New York Giants
Just a few short years ago, when he turned a 4-12 team into a 9-7-1 one, Brian Daboll was viewed as the solution, not the problem. In fact, he was named the AP’s NFL Coach of the Year in 2022. However, the world of NFL coaches is very much about recency effect — and those reviews aren’t nearly as optimistic.
After a dispiriting 28-3 loss at home to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7, followed by a head-scratching prime-time performance on Monday Night Football that resulted in a 26-18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, there were legitimate questions about Daboll’s future in New York. Now, after a 27-22 loss to the Washington Commanders at home in Week 9, Daboll’s seat is getting even hotter.
It’s hard to completely blame Daboll since many of the Giants’ issues have been related to Daniel Jones. However, in Week 9, Jones threw for 174 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions on a 76.9% completion percentage, while also rushing for 54 yards and a score. It was Jones’ first passing touchdown at home in 672 days.
But even with Jones playing well, the Giants lost their fourth straight game and dropped to 0-5 at home this season.
It’s worth noting that Giants co-owner John Mara recently expressed confidence in Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen.
“Obviously we’re all very disappointed with where we are right now,” Mara said, according to Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. “But I’m going to say one thing: we are not making any changes this season. And I do not anticipate making any changes in the offseason, either.”
Giants co-owner John Mara just said here in New York City that there will not be any changes in season with the team and he does anticipate any changes after the season, either. Sounds like good news for Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll
— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) October 24, 2024
It’s now fair to wonder how much further Mara’s confidence in Daboll and Schoen will extend.
Next week, the Giants face the Carolina Panthers in the NFL’s fifth and final International Series game in Munich, Germany. If New York isn’t able to defeat the 2-7 Panthers, calls for Daboll to be fired will get significantly louder.
Matt Eberflus | HC, Chicago Bears
After Week 6, the Chicago Bears were entering their bye having won three straight games (including two straight blowout victories). The team was 4-2, and it seemed like they had finally figured things out and built some momentum.
Ever since, things have been rough in Chicago, with head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s seats getting increasingly warm.
After losing last week’s game to the Washington Commanders, wide receiver D.J. Moore called out Waldron’s decision to hand the ball off to offensive lineman Doug Kramer at the goal line with six minutes remaining in the game.
“I don’t know the reason behind the play call,” Moore said on 670 The Score. “It’s been up for a few weeks, but I didn’t think we were actually going to get it called in a game like this.”
While Moore made his feelings public, he wasn’t the only player frustrated. ESPN’s Courtney Cronin said that she “heard from players over the last 24 hours” who were “openly questioning coaching decisions.”
"What I have heard from players over the last 24 hours is something that I typically haven't in my time covering the Chicago Bears, and that is openly questioning coaching decisions."@CourtneyRCronin calls the Commanders Hail Mary win 'completely avoidable' for the Bears. pic.twitter.com/kGlbUwBYaQ
— Around the Horn (@AroundtheHorn) October 28, 2024
Eberflus wasn’t happy with this criticism, as he apparently pulled Moore aside and told him that this kind of thing needs to stay in-house. How do we know that? Because Moore told reporters! He then proceeded to say he stands by his criticism and isn’t sorry for saying it.
“We all talked about it,” said Moore. “Me and Flus’ talked about it with the captains. It’s just got to stay in-house next time. I mean, I’m not gonna say sorry for what I said. But at the same time, it should have just stayed in-house. But I said what I said. Going forward, that’s probably gonna be what it is. Stuff slipped, I answered the question … truthfully.”
Earlier this week DJ Moore expressed his dissatisfaction with the Doug Kramer goaline playcall. Today he revealed that #Bears HC Matt Eberflus wants him to keep the candor in-house pic.twitter.com/LhNW92PipN
— Barroom Network | Aldo Gandia (@BarroomNetwork) October 30, 2024
This prompted plenty of tweets about how Eberflus has lost the locker room and Waldron has lost the confidence of his players.
In Week 9, the Bears lost to the Arizona Cardinals, 29-9, dropping to 4-4 on the season.
If Chicago’s struggles continue — and if there’s more drama behind the scenes — Eberflus’ seat (and Waldron’s seat) will only get hotter.
Kevin Stefanski | HC, Cleveland Browns
The Browns won 11 games last season, but they got off to a horrible start this year, dropping six of their first seven games to start the year.
After Jameis Winston and Co. pulled off a shocking 29-24 upset win over the Baltimore Ravens last week, the Browns lost 27-10 to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9. Winston threw three interceptions and had a 56.5% completion percentage in a two-week span that perfectly sums up Jameis Winston’s NFL career.
The Browns have failed to score 20 points in eight of nine games this season, and they have allowed at least 20 points in eight of nine contests as well.
To be clear, there’s no easy way for the Browns to part ways with Watson. He still has a monstrous $72.9 million cap hit each of the next two years, and the fully guaranteed nature of his contract doesn’t give Cleveland any escape hatches. It seems like the Browns are stuck with Watson, who was dreadful prior to his injury.
Cleveland has a Week 10 bye, and then they’ll face the Saints in Week 11 in a battle of hot-seat coaches. It’ll be interesting to see if both Stefanski and Allen are still employed by then.
Mike McCarthy | HC, Dallas Cowboys
After last season, many questioned Mike McCarthy’s job security, but Jerry Jones decided to bring him back as the team’s head coach.
But after a disappointing 3-5 start to the regular season, including several embarrassing losses at home, McCarthy is certainly on the hot seat in Dallas.
In Week 9, the Atlanta Falcons defeated the Cowboys 27-21, handing Dallas their third straight loss.
It remains to be seen if the Cowboys will actually make any changes. It’s worth noting that Jones has been critical of McCarthy and his staff lately. During a recent appearance on 105.3 The Fan, Jones criticized McCarthy, making his head coach’s seat even warmer.
“We’re designing bad plays, or we’re designing bad concepts,” Jones said. “The facts are that there’s some of that, but there’s also some of execution.”
Shortly after, McCarthy was asked for a response. While he didn’t agree with Jones’ assessment, he did take some accountability for the team’s recent struggles.
“I talk to Jerry all the time,” McCarthy said. “We’ve had time to go through the self-scout. I didn’t see the comments specifically, but I don’t think we have bad concepts and bad plays. But I’ll go back and check. We’re not where we want to be. That’s clear, and that’s ultimately my responsibility, and I’m fully aware of that. We’re very diligent. We’re on top of what we want to do.”
Last week, former Cowboys star Dez Bryant called for Jones to “fire everybody.”
In each of the last three seasons, the Cowboys went 12-5 in the regular season. After losing five of their first eight games, it’s hard to envision McCarthy’s team replicating that same success in 2024.
Doug Pederson | HC, Jacksonville Jaguars
Pederson earned some temporary relief with Jacksonville’s best game of the season, a 32-16 route of the New England Patriots in London in Week 7. A second consecutive loss overseas could have conceivably spelled the end for Pederson’s time in Jacksonville, particularly against the one-win Patriots.
However, the Jaguars were back to losing in Week 8. Even with Jordan Love leaving the game early due to a groin injury, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Jaguars 30-27.
Jacksonville’s lost a second consecutive game in Week 9, as the Eagles defeated the Jaguars 28-23. While Pederson’s team attempted to rally late, they were unable to climb out of a 22-0 hole that Jacksonville found themselves in on the road in Philadelphia.
Going forward, the schedule doesn’t do Pederson any favors, as the Jags will likely be decisive underdogs in each of both of their next two games. Without an upset or two along the way, that could result in a pink slip heading into the Week 12 bye.
- Week 10 vs. Vikings
- Week 11 at Lions
Pederson was brought in from Philadelphia to replace Urban Meyer and oversee the development of Trevor Lawrence. This hiring seemed like a genius move after the Jaguars went to the playoffs in Year 1.
Since then? Not so much.
The Jags lost five of six games to close the 2023 season and miss the playoffs, a collapse that could have been written off if the team started 2024 with promise. That, however, didn’t happen. Jacksonville was the last winless team in the NFL this season and remains a long shot to return to the playoffs. This is a tenuous situation that is worth monitoring.