Ten NFL coaches on the hot seat

[TaborJet]

Ten NFL coaches on the hot seat

by Mike Florio

Sporting News

As NFL players enjoy a few weeks of freedom before venturing into the oppressive heat of training camp, more than a few head coaches are already feeling the heat on their backsides. Here are the coaches most likely to get burned:

1. Wade Phillips, Cowboys. Coaches from playoff teams aren't usually on the hot seat. Then again, not many coaches preside over teams that haven't won a playoff game since 1996, are expected to go to the Super Bowl in 2008 and have the next head coach, Jason Garrett, ready to step in at a moment's notice.

Wade Phillips has the temperament to withstand the pressure. Besides, he's no stranger to being fired. But it doesn't make the pressure any less real.

So if the Cowboys don't make the postseason, or if they don't win a game or two once they get there, Wade won't be back in 2009.

2. Lane Kiffin, Raiders. If the rumors are accurate, Kiffin could be pushed out -- even before training camp. Such a move would be highly unusual, but Oakland owner Al Davis supposedly views the offensive and defensive coordinators as the two keys to the coaching staff, and he believes the head coach is an easily replaced game-day manager.

Even if Kiffin coaches the Raiders in Week 1 against the Broncos -- and he probably will -- he needs to have a big year. Whether that includes a playoff appearance remains to be seen. If the Raiders are on the wrong side of .500 again, it's a safe bet that Kiffin will be the latest in a line of Oakland coaches who didn't survive more than two seasons on the job.

3. Herm Edwards, Chiefs. If Edwards could go back in time and opt to stay with the Jets instead of heading to Kansas City, would he? For now, he'd swear that he made the right decision in muscling his way out of New York.

In January, he might feel differently.

The Chiefs had a solid draft, and the expectations are generally consistent with this team's status as a work in progress. But a certain number of losses could be enough to prompt owner Clark Hunt to clean house.

If Edwards goes, he'd likely end up a collegiate head coach. He has never been an NFL defensive coordinator, and after eight years as a head coach, he probably wouldn't be interested in becoming a position coach again.

4. Marvin Lewis, Bengals. The Bengals have won the stare-down with receiver Chad Johnson for now, but this team needs to turn things around in 2008, or Lewis' job will be in jeopardy.

Johnson's bizarre antics in the offseason were arguably the result of the head coach's incessant coddling of the star wideout. Such coddling has prompted locker-room resentment and whispers of a double standard for much of the past several seasons.

Then there's the defense -- or, more accurately, the eleven-man, orange-and-black sieve. Like former Ravens boss Brian Billick, a supposed offensive guru who presided over woeful offenses as a head coach, Lewis is a defensive specialist whose team can't play defense.

Things could change in 2008 with the arrival of coordinator Mike Zimmer. If they don't, someone will be hiring Lewis as a defensive coordinator in 2009.

5. Mike Nolan, 49ers. Nolan spent a few days after the 2007 season twisting in the wind while the powers-that-be decided whether to fire him. In the end, Nolan essentially had his wings clipped; he kept the head-coaching job but lost final say over the roster.

It was a shot across the bow, and it took out one of the masts. Moving forward, Nolan is on notice. Another disappointing season, and he's likely done.

6. John Fox, Panthers. Sure, Carolina owner Jerry Richardson claims that he wants to emulate the Rooneys, who change key personnel less frequently than Cuba changes leaders. While that mindset might give GM Marty Hurney another shot if the team doesn't deliver in 2008, a poor showing could be the end of the road for Fox.

The knock on the Panthers lately has been that they have talent, but they can't deliver on it. In other words, Hurney has done his job, and Fox hasn't.

If the wheels fall off in 2008, we've got a feeling that Hurney will remind Richardson of this reality.

7. Scott Linehan, Rams. There was some talk in 2007 that Linehan was cracking under the pressure of a season that began with some Super Bowl expectations and ended with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. But Linehan got a pass, probably because a rash of injuries derailed the Rams' chances.

If the players are healthy in 2008, there's no reason to believe the Rams won't contend for the NFC West title. Though it's not playoffs-or-else for Linehan this season, another train wreck will get him run out of town on a rail.

8. Andy Reid, Eagles. Many Eagles fans blame the team's poor performance in 2007 on Reid's familial distractions. Though an 8-8 or 7-9 mark with no playoffs likely wouldn't be enough to end Reid's decade-long run in Philly, Reid is one 5-11 or worse season away from losing his job.

That said, the Eagles will probably be better this year than most expect. But in a division in which three of four teams made the postseason in 2007 -- and the team that didn't make it was Philly -- Reid surely is feeling at least a little heat as the season approaches.

9. Eric Mangini, Jets. The Jets' coach likely has a warm rear for three reasons. First, the team didn't do very well in Mangini's second season on the job. Second, the Jets pale in comparison to their AFC East rivals in New England and to the team with which they share a stadium. Third, Mangini surely knows that his role in the Spygate scandal will require -- at a minimum -- some serious tap-dancing if and when he's ever looking for a job with another NFL team.

The team's offseason moves smack more of desperation than of a surgical effort to tweak a roster that's already close to the top of the mountain. Plus, with an unsettled quarterback race and an undercurrent of mistrust between the players and the front office, Mangini will have a hard time duplicating the unlikely playoff appearance that capped his first year on the job in 2006. If he can't return to the postseason, he'll have a hard time keeping his job.

10. Norv Turner, Chargers. The window of opportunity for the Chargers to win a Super Bowl will get narrower before it gets wider. As a result, Turner could be dropped if the team doesn't match or exceed its 2007 success.

The chances of Turner being terminated would rise significantly if the Chargers end up jockeying for the division basement with the Chiefs and the Raiders. That's an unlikely outcome, but the thought has to be in the back of Turner's mind, especially in light of the rampant calls for his head when the team limped out of the gates in 2007.

[Jetkid94]

Mangini is the mostlikely NOT to go on that list.

[BroadwayJ667]

i believe andy reid and Eric are the two with the best job security and will be back next year.

btw the undercurrent of mistrust with the players is only with the Bradwards players.

not guys drafted or signed by Tangini

[PeterNorth09]

Mangini is the mostlikely NOT to go on that list.

As long as the Jets win 8 games next season Mangini is safe - which they absolutely should do considering the upgrades they made plus the weaker schedule.

Herm Edwards is a dead duck. KC had a good draft but they have a loser starting at QB and they lost Jared Allen.

[PeterNorth09]

i believe andy reid and Eric are the two with the best job security and will be back next year.

btw the undercurrent of mistrust with the players is only with the Bradwards players.

not guys drafted or signed by Tangini

Well, the guys drafted by Mangini have only played a max of two seasons so they're still in their rookie contracts and most of the guys Mangini has signed have sucked so they'd be crazy to demand more money.

[jetophile]

9. Eric Mangini, Jets...The team's offseason moves smack more of desperation than of a surgical effort to tweak a roster that's already close to the top of the mountain.

That's one of the stupidest things I've ever read. Add to it that this time last year, our O-line was in dire need of improvement. As to our D, I should sic Kris Jenkins and Calvin Pace on him for shiggles.

[JetsMan57]

Last year we signed nobody and we were too lax. This year we sign players and we are desperate.

Please Jets, just go out, win games this year and shut these idiots up.

[alen1]

I agree with the list aside from Mangini and Norv Turner. Turner won a playoff game and I think his job is safe for at least another year. Mangini isn't going anywhere. There's a reason they call him "mangenius". The guy can coach, had one bad year. Even Parcells had a bad year. Things are bound to go wrong at least one season of every coaches career. Personally, I think these articles state the obvious sometimes and are pointless.

[Aqua4ever04]

A coach that went 13-3 in his first season with his team is #1, that makes a lot of sense.

It may be true, but if so, you're an idiot, Jerry Jones.

[124]

Jerry Jones is looking for any excuse to let Phillips go so he can promote his boy Jason Garrett.

As for Mangini, hasn't Woody Johnson said that Eric's job is safe through the 2009 season? The earliest we'll see Mangini fired is January 2010. Hopefully that isn't the case. One 4-12 season after over achieving the year before shouldn't put the guy on the hot seat.

[4HCrew]

This list is borderline comical... Herm is safe, the team is in a complete breakdown and rebuilding process. The only way Reid goes is if he retires, he has just been too successful and is very respected throughout the league. The Lane Kiffen situation is a joke and Linehan should be number 2. Mangini should feel some fire on his a$$ but they have too much talent to go 4-12 again. He is also safe this year.

[Garb]

I can totally see why that POS Mangini is on the list.

1 - there better be a vast improvment in record with all the "upgrades" this off-season.

2 - If not - New Stadium = New beginning = new coach.

[KSJets]

I can totally see why that POS Mangini is on the list.

1 - there better be a vast improvment in record with all the "upgrades" this off-season.

2 - If not - New Stadium = New beginning = new coach.

He's a POS for exposing your team as cheaters? I love it

[PeterNorth09]

Jerry Jones is looking for any excuse to let Phillips go so he can promote his boy Jason Garrett.

As for Mangini, hasn't Woody Johnson said that Eric's job is safe through the 2009 season? The earliest we'll see Mangini fired is January 2010. Hopefully that isn't the case. One 4-12 season after over achieving the year before shouldn't put the guy on the hot seat.

Phillips wasn't a good hire from the beginning. He's a good defensive coordinator but he's an average head coach. Anyone not named Rich Kotite or Art Shell would have gone 13-3 with the team the Cowboys had last season. Best O-line in the NFL, best receivers in the NFL, Romo, Marion Barber and a very good defense.

Phillips is a goner if the Cowboys fail to reach the Super Bowl again this year.