After a 23-22 loss to the lowly Carolina Panthers that extended their losing streak to seven games, the New Orleans Saints on Monday fired head coach Dennis Allen.
Allen followed Robert Saleh, formerly of the New York Jets, as the second head coach fired this season. Allen posted an 18-25 record in 2 1/2 seasons in New Orleans. It’s the second time in his career he failed to make it through his third season at the helm of a team. In 2014, the Oakland Raiders fired Allen after just four games of his third year with them. For his career, Allen is 26-53 as a head coach.
Allen will not be the last NFL head coach fired this season. Through nine weeks of action, nine of the NFL’s 32 teams have only two victories apiece. Fifteen teams have losing records.
Time is quickly evaporating, and without sudden rebounds, some of these losing teams will likely follow the lead of the Jets and Saints and turn their attention to the future.
Here’s a look at the coaches seemingly on the hot seat as the second half of the NFL regular season kicks off.
Doug Pederson, Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7)
Jacksonville’s mind-blowing decline continues. Pederson and his team seem headed toward double-digit losses just two seasons after winning the AFC South and reaching the divisional round of the playoffs, where they fell 27-20 to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Pederson and the Jaguars went 1-1 on their London trip in Weeks 6 and 7 but returned to the United States and promptly lost games to Green Bay and Philadelphia. Trevor Lawrence’s regression continues, Jacksonville’s defense on Sunday surrendered 400-plus yards for the fifth time this season and the Jaguars are minus-7 in the turnover department (third worst). Next up? A game at home versus the 6-2 Minnesota Vikings, followed by a trip to the 7-1 Detroit Lions. It feels like a matter of when and not if owner Shad Khan pulls the plug, again.
Antonio Pierce, Las Vegas Raiders (2-7)
A year after Pierce took over at midseason for a floundering Josh McDaniels and propelled the Raiders to a feisty 5-4 finish, the former linebacker appears to have lost his touch already. Game management is a huge challenge for the rookie head coach. He has flip-flopped on quarterbacks twice now and on Sunday fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, offensive line coach James Cregg and quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello after just nine games on his staff.
This roster isn’t well constructed, but Pierce appears to be in over his head. It would be a surprise to see him make it to Year 2. If he doesn’t, keep an eye in the offseason on former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, who has a strong relationship with new Raiders minority owner Tom Brady. Vrabel is now a coaching and personnel consultant for the Cleveland Browns.
Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns (2-7)
Deshaun Watson’s inability to regain his on-field mojo was apparently only part of Cleveland’s struggles. The Browns have regressed on just about every front in 2024. A week after Jameis Winston provided a spark in an upset of the Baltimore Ravens, the Browns came crashing back to Earth in a 27-10 loss to the L.A. Chargers. Stefanski turned play-calling duties over to Ken Dorsey before that win over Baltimore, but three turnovers and a sputtering rushing attack held the Browns in check against the Chargers. Meanwhile, their defense also continues to underperform.
The Browns made a second-half playoff surge with a backup quarterback (Joe Flacco) last season, but that seems highly unlikely this year. Watson is out for the remainder of the season with an Achilles injury, but given the Browns’ apparent commitment to him despite his struggles, they could opt for a coaching change.
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Brian Daboll, New York Giants (2-7)
Team owner John Mara said last month that he remains committed to Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen, but as Daniel Jones’ ineptitude continues and as the losses continue to mount, it’s hard to envision him sticking with that stance. Especially with running back Saquon Barkley (the one that got away) delivering jaw-dropping highlights just down the road with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys (3-5)
Jerry Jones continues to say he’s committed to McCarthy, but McCarthy remains a lame-duck coach and his team continues to underperform in virtually every phase of the game. Jones opened up the checkbook for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, but the Cowboys’ offense has gotten worse and things will only get uglier with Prescott now out multiple weeks with a hamstring injury. With or without Prescott, however, McCarthy lacks the innovation to fix this operation. As the embarrassments and losses continue to mount, you have to wonder how much more of this Jones can take.
Matt Eberflus, Chicago Bears (4-4)
He entered the season on thin ice, but Eberflus hoped Caleb Williams could spearhead a revival in Chicago. Instead, the coach is overseeing another rocky season that feels destined to end poorly. A shaky start preceded some encouraging developments and a three-game win streak. But then came the embarrassing Hail Mary loss in Washington, followed by Sunday’s flat performance against Arizona — a game in which the Bears failed to score a touchdown despite having Williams and a talented collection of offensive players. Eberflus seemingly is losing control of the team, as his players show signs of poor discipline and professionalism. Hope is fading in the Windy City, and Eberflus might be running out of time and excuses.
Of course, these coaches aren’t alone with their disappointing bodies of work. Things haven’t played out in a favorable manner this season for the Miami Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel (2-6), New England Patriots’ Jerod Mayo (2-7), Carolina Panthers’ Dave Canales (2-7) or Tennessee Titans’ Brian Callahan (2-6).
It seems like McDaniel will receive the benefit of the doubt, given that his team’s struggles can be tied to Tua Tagovailoa’s four-game concussion-induced absence. If anyone’s seat in Miami is heating up, it could be that of general manager Chris Grier, who neglected to acquire an adequate backup for Miami’s injury-prone starting quarterback. Had Grier given McDaniel a serviceable veteran, the Dolphins possibly could have tread water until Tagovailoa returned.
Meanwhile, despite firing Frank Reich after just 11 games last season, David Tepper will likely give Canales more time. If Bryce Young can build on the shreds of success displayed in Sunday’s win, Canales, Young and the Panthers could enter the offseason with a degree of optimism. Given that Robert Kraft hand-picked Mayo as the Patriots’ coach-in-waiting late in Bill Belichick’s legendary tenure, it seems like the former New England linebacker will be afforded additional time to grow into his role while the Patriots further fortify the roster around Drake Maye. The same goes for Callahan, who is overseeing a roster in the midst of a rebuild that needs a better starting quarterback than Will Levis before he can truly showcase his abilities as a coach.
(Top photos of Brian Daboll and Mike McCarthy: Brad Penner / Imagn Images and Sam Hodde / Getty Images)
