Though it often feels premature and unfair to evaluate NFL coaches’ job stability before the season even starts, Tuesday served as a strong reminder that coaching changes are always a possibility in the league’s dynamic environment.

With 12 games left in the 2024 season, Woody Johnson, the Jets’ owner, opted to fire Robert Saleh after more than three seasons and a 20-36 record. The team’s desperate Super Bowl aspirations will now rest with Jeff Ulbrich—a former 49ers linebacker and seasoned NFL defensive coordinator—who has no head coaching experience, and perhaps to some degree, QB Aaron Rodgers.

Time will tell if Ulbrich (and Rodgers) can reignite this squad like Maverick Mitchell does with a malfunctioning F-14. It seems highly likely that Saleh is just the first in what could be several head coach dismissals based on past trends.

Here are seven coaches, presented in alphabetical order, who might be feeling the heat now that the Jets’ first coach has been fired:

Dennis Allen, New Orleans Saints

Allen may understand Saleh’s plight better than anyone. His squad started strong at 2-0, racking up 91 points in the opening games under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. However, they’ve since struggled, facing a winless streak with Derek Carr’s recent oblique injury adding to the team’s quarterback challenges since replacing Drew Brees. Currently, their hope lies with rookie QB Jake Haener or fellow rookie Spencer Rattler. Perhaps one of them will rise to the occasion, Car returns sooner than expected and rekindles some early-game magic. However, if none of this happens, Allen’s current record of 26-49 as a head coach might lead to his departure from the Big Easy.

Dave Canales, Carolina Panthers

It’s harsh to scrutinize a rookie head coach just five games into his role, yet Canales finds himself in this position after a dismal 1-4 start. He was brought in primarily to develop second-year QB Bryce Young but ended up benching him after just two starts. Although Canales could be doing everything in his power with a weak roster, his job security is questionable given the history of owner David Tepper, who’s switched coaches seven times—including interim ones—since 2019.

Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys, often dubbed “America’s Team,” have a peculiar ability to experience dramatic highs and lows in just weeks. McCarthy deserves credit for maintaining a 3-2 record despite contract disputes and significant player losses during owner Jerry Jones’ aggressive offseason plans. However, this year’s Cowboys lack the talent level of teams that had 12 wins in each of the last three seasons. Injuries to key defensive players like Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, and DaRon Bland exacerbate the situation, especially with an upcoming tough schedule featuring the Lions, 49ers, Falcons, Eagles, Texans, and Commanders in consecutive weeks. What compounds McCarthy’s challenges is his failure to end the Cowboys’ long Super Bowl drought or even progress past the divisional playoff round. This situation is made worse by the fact that he is currently on an expiring contract, and Jones could easily look to hire big names like Bill Belichick or Mike Vrabel next year if McCarthy cannot deliver exceptional results.

Doug Pederson, Jacksonville Jaguars

Recently, while discussing his job stability amidst an 0-4 start, Pederson appeared frustrated yet somewhat dismissive. “My status?” he responded. “That’s kind of a weird question, but OK.” It’s also unusual that he defends the offensive decisions while calling out player performance, which isn’t a good sign given the substantial investments made in the roster by owner Shad Khan, who clearly stated that “winning—winning now—is an expectation.” Recently, Pederson has led his team to just two victories in their last 11 games, stemming from last season’s collapse that cost the franchise a second consecutive AFC South title. As he enters his eighth season, Pederson has only achieved 10 wins once—with the Eagles in 2017 during their Super Bowl-winning run. It appears that the Jaguars are lacking that kind of luck right now.

Antonio Pierce, Las Vegas Raiders

Pierce injected new energy into the Raiders midway through last season, finishing with a 5-4 record after the troubled Josh McDaniels era. He then became a rare interim coach who successfully secured the permanent role. However, he is currently 2-3 in the 2024 season, primarily due to ongoing quarterback uncertainty that began when McDaniels abruptly moved on from Carr two years ago. Although Pierce, with his playing background, has pointed fingers at some players for making “business decisions” on the field, he now finds himself struggling with the unfolding drama involving All-Pro WR Davante Adams. Does Pierce merit more time to stabilize the team—particularly at quarterback? Yes. Is he now the fourth coach in the last four seasons for the Raiders? Yes. Despite various circumstances, his predecessors have all faced grim job security.

Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles

With a record of 38-22 over three-plus seasons, never having missed the playoffs and nearly capturing victory in Super Bowl 57, Sirianni has found himself under a harsh spotlight. After a promising start of 10-1 for the Eagles in 2023, the season took a downturn, culminating in a dismal 1-6 finish that saw a humiliating defeat against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card round. As expected in the often tumultuous Philadelphia sports scene, there has been plenty of finger-pointing, and the focus has shifted to the evidently strained bond between Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts. Firing a quarterback with a hefty salary of over $50 million isn’t typically a straightforward option. Injuries and a crucial late-game drop by RB Saquon Barkley against Atlanta have added to the Eagles’ uneven 2-2 start. However, if they underperform following the bye week against a group of teams currently holding a combined record of 5-15, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Sirianni sharing a similar fate as Saleh on the unemployment line.

Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns

You may wonder why someone who was awarded the league’s Coach of the Year in both 2020 and 2023 is on this list. The answer lies in two words: Deshaun and Watson. Stefanski led Cleveland to rare playoff appearances in those seasons but did so with quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and chiefly Joe Flacco being pivotal to their success. Watson, who was controversially acquired and offered a substantial contract ahead of the 2022 season, has not performed at the level he once showed with the Houston Texans. Whether it’s that Stefanski is unwilling or unable to change course with him leaves the team in a difficult situation, especially given their current 1-4 start. Once again, Saleh’s departure serves as a reminder that it’s often simpler to let go of a coach than a quarterback. While it’s unlikely that Stefanski intends to undermine his own work, it’s legitimate to consider whether he might seek a way out, especially as the organization seems stuck with Watson’s poor performance, lack of accountability, and burdensome contract until the spring of 2027.

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