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NFL head coaches on the hot seat could include Kevin Stefanski of the Browns and Nick Sirianni of the Eagles


NFL head coaches on the hot seat could include Kevin Stefanski of the Browns and Nick Sirianni of the Eagles

The New York Jets stunned NFL fans by firing head coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday, two days after his team lost 3-2 in a 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London.

Saleh, a respected defensive player, was in his fourth season with the Jets. He had a 20-36 record and went 4-13 in 2021, followed by two 7-10 seasons. However, hope was not lost for the Jets this year, especially after playing all but four snaps without quarterback Aaron Rodgers last season. But team owner Woody Johnson believed a change was needed in Week 6 to save the season and named defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich as interim coach.

Saleh is unlikely to be the only coach to be fired at some point this season. So who could be next? Here's a look at six coaches who could also be in the hot seat.

Pederson, who led the Philadelphia Eagles to their first Super Bowl victory in franchise history in February 2018, should bring similar success to Jacksonville. And he should help quarterback Trevor Lawrence reach his full potential as a game-changing quarterback. But Lawrence, like the rest of the Jaguars, has clearly underperformed since the middle of last season. Pederson's roster is no closer than it was when he took over in 2022.

Jacksonville desperately needed a win on Sunday and got it, defeating the Indianapolis Colts 37-34 and ending a four-game losing streak. Now the Jags travel to their second home, London, to face the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots in consecutive weeks. The reprieve after the win over the Colts won't last long. Jacksonville needs a winning overseas trip. Even if the Jaguars have two embarrassing games in London, Pederson is no guarantee that he will remain at the top when they return to Florida.

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The Jets' third NFL coach, Saleh, was fired after the loss in London

It's certainly not Stefanski's fault that the people of Cleveland sold their souls for a Deshaun Watson who can't do everything right. And it's not his fault that injuries have decimated the Browns' offensive line while hitting some key defensive players hard. But at some point something has to give for this 1-4 team.

Stefanski continues to stick with Watson, although it's unclear whether that's by decree from above or because he genuinely believes the quarterback still has some magic left in him from his time with the Houston Texans. So Stefanski first has to figure out how it works. He showed flexibility and creativity in guiding Joe Flacco to success in last year's playoff push. Now he needs to do the same to reduce pressure on Watson on the field, increase productivity. A healthier run-pass balance could help, even if it means using Watson on some designed runs. It might also help to increase Watson's pace with more short passes.

But if Stefanski doesn't recognize the need for change and make the necessary adjustments, his bosses could look elsewhere for answers.

Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles (2-2)

After slipping from a 10-1 start to an 11-6 finish last year, the Eagles looked to bounce back with confidence this season. Instead, Sirianni has yet to figure out how to get things back on track. Injuries to top wide receivers AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, as well as right tackle Lane Johnson, have certainly hampered the Eagles' efforts. But quarterback Jalen Hurts has failed to recapture the consistency and dominance he displayed during his team's march to the Super Bowl in the 2022 season.

Sirianni has changed offensive and defensive coordinators this offseason, but so far the Eagles have disappointed on both sides of the ball. After an embarrassing loss to Tampa Bay two weeks ago, Sirianni blamed himself for not adequately preparing his team. The Eagles are hoping the once highly regarded Sirianni, who is 43 years old, can figure out how to turn things around quickly. He can't afford a second disappointing season in a row.

When GM Howie Roseman and owner Jeffrey Lurie fired Pederson just three seasons after his Super Bowl victoryHow much wiggle room does Sirianni have, whose team blew a third-quarter lead and lost 38-35 to the Chiefs in its Super Bowl appearance?


Brian Daboll may need more wins like Sunday's against the Seahawks to keep his job. (Luke Johnson/Imagn Images)

The Giants used the sixth pick of the 2019 draft on quarterback Daniel Jones, but saw him fail. Three years later, they hired Daboll, hoping he could work the same magic with Jones that he had done with Josh Allen as the Buffalo Bills' offensive coordinator.

However, after three seasons, Jones is still significantly limited and the Giants are one of the worst teams in the league. Daboll's team exceeded expectations in its first year, posting a 9-7-1 record and sneaking into the playoffs. But then the Giants regressed, going 6-11 last season, and those problems have continued this season. Talent deficits are partly to blame. But Jones' lack of progress and lack of improvement along an offensive line that the front office has worked to improve are among the devastating blows against Daboll.

New York upset the Seattle Seahawks last week, but the prospect of a dramatic turnaround seems unlikely, and that could prove costly for the coach.

Matt Eberflus, Chicago Bears (3-2)

At the moment the bears of Eberflus are showing some life. They have won two games in a row (against the Los Angeles Rams and Carolina Panthers) and now travel to London to face the Jaguars. It appears that Caleb Williams' coaches are finally figuring out how to better support him with more balance to take the pressure off him and keep the defense off balance.

However, after going 10-24 in his first two seasons, Eberflus remains on shaky ground.

Due to the daunting stretch from Weeks 11 to 16, which includes five division games, Chicago needs to continue to build momentum while picking up some wins against Jacksonville, Washington, Arizona and New England. If signs of improvement don't continue, Bears officials could opt for a move this offseason.

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Sunday night's 20:17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers was much needed for the Cowboys and coach Mike McCarthy. Jerry Jones believes he has a Super Bowl contender on his hands, but he doesn't seem nearly as confident in his head coach, who doesn't have a contract beyond this season.

At 3-2, the Cowboys remain in the thick of things. But if the offense continues to falter and Dallas can't get through this difficult stretch ahead against Detroit, San Francisco, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Houston and Washington, the temperature in McCarthy's seat will certainly rise. Jones may not pull the plug in the middle of the season because that's not his style. However, a poor performance at this stage could derail McCarthy's chances of getting an extension this offseason.

(Top photos of Kevin Stefanski and Nick Sirianni: Patrick Smith and Richard Rodriguez / Getty Images)

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