​This season will feature a wave of fresh faces on the sidelines, with 10 head coaches taking charge of their teams for the first time in 2026. Yet several coaches who are set to return to the sidelines this year have not exactly been winning over their fan bases with results on the field in recent seasons. With 22 returning head coaches entering the coming season, which ones are most clearly on the hot seat? These are the coaches most likely to be fired during the season.
Aaron Glenn did not have a strong start to his first year guiding the Jets, with the team opening 0-7 before finishing 3-14. The Jets desperately need a quarterback fix, but their current option appears to be Geno Smith, who has faced notable legal issues this summer. If New York falters again, Glenn could find himself under pressure and possibly out the door by mid-season.
It’s surprising to consider, but a coach who began his tenure by delivering three straight division titles could be facing termination just two years later. Todd Bowles showed early signs of progress, peaking with a 10-7 record in 2024. Last season, the Buccaneers regressed and missed the playoffs. If they slide further, especially after Mike Evans left the franchise following more than a decade with the team, calls for a change at the top could intensify.
Zac Taylor won two playoff appearances, including a Super Bowl run, early in his tenure. Since then, the team has missed the postseason in three straight seasons and posted its first losing record since 2020 this past year. While much of that can be linked to Joe Burrow’s health, the absence of a playoff berth for a fourth consecutive year could put Taylor in jeopardy and test the durability of his holding on to the job.