By Samir Ajy
- Brian Callahan, Tennessee Titans
It may seem unfair to put Callahan on this list, given that he inherited a Titans roster entering rebuild
mode. The former Bengals offensive coordinator oversaw an offense that averaged 18.3 points per game, thanks in large part to the immense struggles of second-year quarterback Will Levis. Consequently, the Titans finished 3-14, landing the number one overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which they used to select Miami QB Cam Ward. Unfortunately for Callahan, there is a good chance he won’t have the chance to oversee Ward’s development if the Titans end up with another top-five pick this season. 2025 is expected to be another frustrating season for a Titans team in the middle of a rebuild, and first-year general manager Mike Borgonzi may want to bring in a head coach whom he had a say in hiring. - Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons
When the Falcons announced Morris as the franchise’s 19th head coach in January 2024, the news was met with fanfare and excitement. After kicking off his return to Atlanta with a 6-3 start and a two-and-a-half game lead in the NFC South, the Falcons finished 8-9, missing the playoffs for a seventh straight year. The team’s second-half collapse can be attributed to several missteps taken by Morris, such as mishandling a shoulder injury to Kirk Cousins, the team seemingly no-showing on numerous occasions, most notably against a against a 2-7 Saints team and at home in a “must-win” game against the Carolina Panthers, and poor clock management in another “must-win” game at Washington in Week 17. As a result, a justifiably jaded Falcons’ fanbase called for owner Arthur Blank to make Morris the first involuntary “one-and-done” head coach during his tenure as owner. Blank retained Morris, but expressed his disappointment with how the season ended during internal conversations with Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot. There is still excitement surrounding the Falcons, thanks to second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and a draft class headlined by the first-round selections of Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. Former defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake was held accountable for the team’s collapse. If the Falcons fall short again, it is safe to say that Morris and Fontenot will be the ones held accountable this time around. - Shane Steichen, Indianapolis Colts
In 2023, the Colts hired Steichen as their next head coach and took a gamble a few months later when they spent the fourth overall pick on Anthony Richardson. Richardson was considered a raw quarterback prospect with arguably the highest ceiling out of any quarterback in his draft class. Richardson has shown flashes in his first two years under center. However, struggles with accuracy and setbacks due to injuries (including a season-ending shoulder injury during his rookie year in 2023) have hindered Richardson’s development. Richardson was also notably benched last season in favor of Joe Flacco, after taking himself out of a game in the third quarter because he was tired. Steichen is 17-17 in his first two years as Colts head coach. Nonetheless, it seems as if the job security of Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard depends heavily on whether or not Richardson continues to develop. Most notably, after the recent death of owner Jim Irsay, the Colts’ new ownership group, consisting of Irsay’s daughters, could decide to move in a different direction if the team does not improve. - Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals
After a 6-26 start to his head coaching tenure, Taylor appeared to be on thin ice before a surprise Super Bowl run in 2021 and a return to the AFC Championship game in 2022. After Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending injury in 2023, it was reasonable to exonerate Taylor of responsibility for the Bengals failing to make the playoffs. In 2024, Burrow, wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, and defensive end Trey Hendrickson each led the league respectively in passing yards, receiving yards, and sacks. Chase notably won the “triple crown,” leading the NFL in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. The Bengals still missed the playoffs, finishing 9-8. Their disappointing season was due in large part to a defense that outside of Hendrickson, was unable to support the team’s potent offense. It is difficult to blame Taylor for the team’s front office letting players such as Jessie Bates and Germaine Pratt leave, and is now playing hardball with Hendrickson and this year’s first-round pick, Shemar Stewart. However, Cincinnati’s contending window is narrowing in a deep AFC conference. It is hard to imagine a scenario in which Taylor survives another year without a playoff birth with a healthy Burrow leading the way. - Brian Daboll, New York Giants
Brian Daboll is undoubtedly the head coach with the hottest seat entering this season. After winning a playoff game in year one, the Giants have since gone 9-25 under the current regime of Daboll and
general manager Joe Schoen. This regime’s missteps include overseeing a 10-game losing streak in
2024 (the longest in franchise history), drafting both Evan Neal and Kavon Thibodeaux in the top 10 in 2022, both of whom have fallen short of meeting expectations, and most notably, allowing star running back Saquon Barkley to walk to a division rival one a year after giving Daniel Jones $40 million a year. Despite the surprising decision to retain both Daboll and Schoen, owner John Mara publicly voiced his displeasure with the team’s direction during an interview shortly after the season. The Giants overhauled their roster this past offseason, adding Paulsen Adebo and Javon Holland to their secondary and signing Russell Wilson to provide short-term stability under center. They also had a promising draft, adding Abdul Carter to a defensive line that includes Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns, while drafting Ole Miss quarterback Jackson Dart and Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo. Unfortunately for Daboll, six of New York’s first eight games come against teams that qualified for the playoffs in 2024, including four against teams that appeared in last year’s conference championship games (Philadelphia twice, Washington, and Kansas City). If the Giants get off to a slow start, the current regime will not get to reap the benefits of their roster overhaul.
