Top 10 NFL Coaches on the Hot Seat Entering the 2025 Season

Darius Fuladi
Sep 3, 2025
6 min read

Updated: Sep 4, 2025

For those who don’t know, a head coach being on ‘the hot seat’ refers to the level of mounting pressure to either take their team over the top, help improve their team, or simply just win at all costs. It’s important to note that this so-called ‘hot seat’ can have varying degrees of temperature. Let’s look at the NFL coaches with the hottest seats entering the 2025 season:

Honourable Mention: Mike MacDonald - Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks made a risky move going from proven quarterback Geno Smith to possible one-hit-wonder Sam Darnold. It has yet to be seen whether Darnold can thrive in a less-than-optimal environment, but his performance last season led to this opportunity with the Seahawks. Though, if Darnold’s old ways resurface, Seattle could be in for a rude awakening. MacDonald’s job security could take a massive hit in just his second year.

10) Brian Callahan - Tennessee Titans

Drafting a number one overall quarterback comes with high expectations. Second year Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan does not necessarily need to win a lot of games to keep his position in place. The Titans just need to at least look competent and competitive along with rookie QB Cam Ward showing consistent development over the course of the year. Without that, the organization could potentially replace their HC to salvage what they can out of their first overall pick.

9) John Harbaugh - Baltimore Ravens

Since winning the Super Bowl in 2012, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has led the organization to seven postseason appearances, with six coming in the past seven years. Disappointingly, in those seven appearances Baltimore has only won four games despite extremely successful regular seasons. For example, 2019 saw Harbaugh win NFL Coach of the Year, superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson win league MVP, and the Ravens secure the number one seed in the conference meaning homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. Yet, Baltimore lost to an underdog Titans team, at home, in just their first postseason game. Pressure is mounting on coach Harbaugh to help Lamar Jackson & Co. to break through and at least reach the Super Bowl.

8) Kevin Stefanski - Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns have always been a dysfunctional organization. So, it’s no surprise that they have put their Head Coach Kevin Stefanski in a precarious situation entering 2025. Past contract mistakes by the front office have handcuffed the team’s ability to acquire a high-level quarterback for this season. Consequently, they’ve opted to rely on 40-year-old Joe Flacco to keep them afloat while they develop at least one of the two rookie quarterbacks they selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. Injury to an older QB is not a question, it is a certainty. Meaning that, it’s likely that the Browns will come to rely on an inexperienced signal caller at some point this season. Although Stefanski has been successful as the Browns HC, winning NFL Coach of the Year and reaching two postseasons over his five-year tenure, the organization could opt to blow things up after this season.

7) Jonathan Gannon - Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon has quietly been a beacon of stability, professionalism, and success for an otherwise frantic franchise. His first year as a head coach was plagued by injury to the team’s star quarterback Kyler Murray, finishing with a measly four wins in 2023. But with Kyler back in 2024, Gannon helped double Arizona’s win total and improved their defensive rank from 31st to 15th. Even so, if the Cardinals regress in 2025, questions would arise in the front office about Kyler’s future with the team, potentially leading to a total rebuild. To prevent being let go, Gannon will have to continue to steadily improve this team as he has done so far.

6) Brian Daboll - New York Giants

Interestingly, Brian Daboll was initially hired in efforts to develop quarterback Daniel Jones into a star. In his first year, Daboll led the New York Giants to the playoffs for the first time in six years and won NFL Coach of the Year honours. Nevertheless, in the two years since, the Giants have won just nine games in total and Daniel Jones was released. To start 2025, Daboll will have to rely on newly acquired veteran QB Russell Wilson and the Giants’ powerful defensive line to show that he is still a coach worth keeping around to develop rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, who the Giants hope is the future face of their franchise.

5) Shane Steichen - Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen has a tall task ahead of him in the 2025 season. Upper management has consistently failed him with their inability to acquire a high-caliber quarterback who can operate his offence and consistently secure victories. Nowadays, going into an NFL season without at least an average quarterback on the roster is typically a death sentence for a head coach. Adding to this, the recent passing of their owner, Jim Irsay, could lead new ownership into completely changing operations if the team lacks performance, leaving Steichen on the outside looking in.

4) Mike McDaniel - Miami Dolphins

Maybe the most unique circumstance in the league belongs to Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. In his first two years, Miami saw big improvements going from a 9-win team with the 11th ranked points scoring offence, to a 11-win team with the 2nd best points scoring offence. Still, McDaniels’ goofy personality and take-it-easy attitude have been met with much criticism, particularly regarding the Dolphins perceived softness and their inability to perform well in inclement weather. In 2024, Miami fell to the 22nd ranked offence and missed the postseason entirely, abruptly shining the spotlight on the 42-year-old head coach. A successful season for McDaniel would not only be producing wins, but also having his team show some grit and toughness that led to signature wins over high quality teams.

3) Mike Tomlin - Pittsburgh Steelers

Sometimes a coach’s success can be a blessing and a curse. Coaches like Mike Tomlin can do more with less and elevate mediocre teams to successful seasons that are ultimately ended by superior competition. However, such teams can get stuck in a sort-of purgatory of mediocrity i.e. denying themselves the high draft picks needed to acquire better players. It’s not surprising that after a decade of being average, a coach’s philosophy can run bland, forcing the organization to appoint a new leader. In Mike Tomlin’s case, another year of just barely making the playoffs, followed by getting blown out in their first game, would likely mean it’s his last season as the Steelers head coach.

2) Sean McDermott - Buffalo Bills

Much like Pittsburgh, the Buffalo Bills could find themselves looking for a new voice in the locker room next season. Since signing in 2017, head coach Sean McDermott has led the Bills to the postseason seven times, including five straight division titles and two trips to the conference championship game. Unfortunately, McDermott’s success is clouded by his failure to overcome their archrivals in Kansas City. Buffalo has been eliminated from the playoffs by the Chiefs in four of the last five seasons, and with quarterback Josh Allen entering his prime years, questions are mounting about what more can be done to finally get over the hump. This is a do-or-die year for McDermott; he needs to slay the dragon and at least get Buffalo to the Super Bowl.

1) Zac Taylor - Cincinnati Bengals

Last year, the Zac Taylor coached Bengals finished with a disappointing 9-8 record and missed the playoffs for a second year in a row. Coaching a superstar quarterback in Joe Burrow should, in theory, have benefits, but it also comes with high expectations that Taylor has failed to meet in the past couple seasons. Additionally, the Bengals tendency to start the season slow, accumulating early losses and digging a hole they’re forced to crawl out of, reflects directly on the head coach. Another slow start could see the organization opt to part ways with Taylor after this year or even mid-season.

...And there you have it, the top 10 coaches with the hottest seats in football. If you enjoyed this article, make sure to leave a like and/or comment.

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