In today’s NFL, head coaching turnover is rapid — yet some coaches continue to enjoy job security that far outweighs their recent results. Whether due to strong early impressions, ownership loyalty, or reputations built on past success, certain remain insulated from the heat, even as their on-field product underwhelms.
Here are four NFL coaches whose grip on their job appears more secure than their recent records warrant.
4. Brian Daboll, New York Giants
When Brian Daboll took over the New York Giants in 2022, he was hailed as savior. The team finished 9-7-1 in his first season, made the playoffs, even beat the Vikings in the Wild Card round for the Giants first playoff win since winning the Super Bowl in 2012. Daboll was named AP Coach of the year in 2022.
But that honeymoon is over.
Since that playoff win, the Giants have gone 9-25, including a dreadful 3-14 campaign in 2024 — their worst record in franchise history. New York’s offense was borderline unwatchable last season, finishing 30th in total offense (294.8 YPG), 31st in scoring (16.1 PPG) 28th in passing yards and 23rd in rushing.
Despite the nosedive, Daboll’s seat remains surprisingly cool heading into 2025, with John Mara saying in a press conference that he expects playoff results. Mara has shown patience though, and reports from the team suggest Daboll is still considered the long-term answer from recent moves they’ve made like trading up and drafting Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss. If you wanted to fire a head coach the following year, you don’t draft his guy and then fire him.
At some point though, potential and culture change must lead to wins. A second straight basement finish could see Daboll out the door or make his seat even hotter.
3. Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns
Kevin Stefanski entered the NFL hard coaching ranks with promise, winning Coach of the Year in 2020 after guiding the Browns to their first playoff win since 1994. He won it again in 2023 after salvaging a strong regular season amid quarterback chaos.
But the Browns 2024 season fell off a cliff. They finished 3-14, and the offense — expected to be the hallmark of the Stefanski’s regime — completely unraveled.
Since taking taking over in 2020, Stefanski holds a 40-44 career regular season record, and his postseason mark stands at just 1-2. Despite COTY awards, his teams have often struggled in high leverage moments and have failed to develop consistent QB play — especially with Deshaun Watson saga clouding expectations.
Yet Stefanski enters 2025 on stable footing. Ownership has backed him, and his rapport with GM Andrew Berry has been a major reason for his continued presence. The Browns have a lot of questions at the QB by taking two quarterbacks in the same draft (Dillion Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders) and signing two veterans in Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco. If the Browns have yet another failure at the QB position and a colossal season, no amount of organizational harmony will save his job.
2. Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins
Mike McDaniel enters the NFL ranks with a lot of support from his players and Dolphin fans, He’s charismatic, innovative, and widely liked. In his first two season, he guided the Dolphins to back-to-back playoff appearances — something they hadn’t done in over two decades.
However, that support has yet to translate to postseason sucess.
McDaniel is 0-2 in the playoffs, losing in the Wild Card round both years. And after an 8-9 finish in 2024 that saw Miami miss the postseason entirely, there are growing questions about whether McDaniel’s style can get the Dolphins over the hump.
The offense, led by Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill, has been explosive at times, but Miami’s inability to win late-season games or adjust in January is very concerning. Since his arrival, the Dolphins are 2-7 in games played in December or later against winning teams.
Still, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and GM Chris Grier are publicly backing McDaniel. He was one of the few coaches to receive an A+ from the NFLPA’s 2024 internal team report card. For now, his leadership and offensive philosophy are enough but that leash willl tighten if the Dolphins once again fall short of expectations.
1. Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
Now, the most controversial pick of them – Mike Tomlin. He has in my opinion some of the strongest support from the players and some Steeler fans. He is a walking coaching anomaly: 17 seasons, 0 losing records. His leadership and consistency have become legendary in Pittsburgh. His 183-107-2 career record and Super Bowl XLIII win in 2008 cemented his status among the NFL’s elite.
But recent years tell a different story.
The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since January 2016, and Tomlin is 0-5 in the postseason over the last eight seasons. The team has frequently limped into the playoffs only to make a quick exit — including a 28-14 defeat to the Ravens in the 2025 Wild Card Round.
Tomlin’s regular season stability is unmatched, he knows how to coach and to coach his team to win games but his career playoff record of 8-11 is underwhelming for a coach who has had really good teams and just could never get over the hump.
Despite that, his job has never been in jeopardy. Pittsburgh values loyalty, and Tomlin’s presence comes weight in the locker room. If the Steelers continue to stall out in JanJanuary, fans may wonder how long leadership trumps results.
Why these coaches are still safe
All four coaches share common threads that contribute to their continued job security:
Early Success: Each coach earned accolades or postseason wins early in their tenure
Cultural buy in: All are respected within their organizations and have strong player relationships
Owner patience: None of the four operate under notoriously impulsive ownership groups.
Final Thoughts
In the results-driven world of professional football, coaching security is a luxury few can afford. Yet these four head coaches find themselves unusually safe — thanks more to past success and internal politics than to playoff wins or consistently winning playoff games.
That can’t last forever.
If 2025 ends the way 2024 did for these coaches — with early exits, underwhelming records and blown opportunities — expect the conversation to change. In the NFL, even the most secure jobs eventually run out of time.