As we put a bow on the 2026 NFL regular season, a lot of fans — especially those rooting for teams outside the playoff picture — are starting to think about what’s next. In some cases, that means new playcallers. In others, it could mean a new head coach.
These coordinators and coaches are at risk of being fired in the days and weeks ahead. Whether it’s due to poor performance, a misaligned timeline, or just a simple need for change, the seats are too hot to handle and the pink slips are coming.
Al Golden, Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator
The Cincinnati Bengals pulled from the college football ranks in an attempt to address their ongoing defensive woes, hiring Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden to call plays under Zac Taylor. A former head coach at Temple and Miami — as well as the Bengals’ linebackers coach once upon a time — Golden certainly has a full résumé. Unfortunately, he was not up to the task of fixing this Bengals defense.
Cincy’s defense ranked dead last in the NFL in terms of yards allowed. That is not all Golden’s fault — the front office has done a horrendous job of putting quality personnel around Trey Hendrickson, their lone defensive star who now seems destined to leave in free agency. And yet, the NFL is a results-based league, and it feels like Golden will be one-and-done as the Bengals search high and low for a solution to their ongoing woes.
Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders offensive coordinator
Kliff Kingsbury was a hot commodity last offseason after the Washington Commanders’ unexpected run to the NFC Championship Game. Jayden Daniels put together a dominant rookie season and the Commanders offense just hummed. This season was a swift fall back to earth, largely because Daniels was hurt for long stretches.
Kingsbury finds himself in an awkward spot now. He’s still a potential head coaching candidate for those looking to give the former wunderkind another shot. But he’s also on the hot seat in DC, even if he doesn’t land a head coaching promotion, per Ben Standig of Last Man Standing. Kingsbury is definitely not the problem in Washington, but with Dan Quinn reportedly safe, someone has to take the fall.
Arthur Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator
Arthur Smith is another playcaller both on the hot seat and on the radar of other teams, which just increases the likelihood of a departure from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Smith has a lot of respect in league circles. He did great things in Tennessee before taking the head coaching gig in Atlanta, where he was never dealt a fair hand. He has mostly done enough to keep this perpetually mediocre Steelers team afloat.
There have been times this season where Pittsburgh’s offense has played well above its means. But, at the end of the day, Smith feels a bit too old-school. Mike Tomlin likes old-school, to be clear, but the Steelers are never going to fire Tomlin. Pittsburgh will either miss the playoffs entirely or eke their way to a 10-win division title before getting flame-roasted in the Wild Card round. Either way, with Aaron Rodgers presumably on his way out, changes are coming. Whether Smith gets hired elsewhere or just plain fired, do not be shocked when he’s gone within a few weeks.
Matt Eberflus, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator
The Dallas Cowboys‘ season was incredibly frustrating, in that Brian Schottenheimer’s offense ranked among the NFL’s very best, while Matt Eberflus’ defense was an anchor stuck in the mud. Dallas could not generate stops, which meant a lot of high-scoring losses as Dallas quickly tumbled out of the postseason race. This team has such a high ceiling, with a bonafide MVP-level quarterback in Dak Prescott. But none of it matters if the defense cannot meaningfully improve.
Therefore, it’s hard not to see the writing on the wall for defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. After tanking the Chicago Bears as a head coach, he did nothing to salvage his reputation in Dallas. Eberflus has put together strong coordinator seasons in the past, but he’s a tainted asset at this point. Eberflus is not the only person to blame for the Cowboys’ defensive shortcomings, but Jerry Jones is not a man of accountability. So instead, count on Dallas finding a new playcaller on defense.
Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons head coach
The Atlanta Falcons finished the season on a four-game win streak to force a three-way tie in the NFC South. There’s a chance it was enough to save Raheem Morris’ job. Atlanta broadly underperformed the metrics this season, and there’s reason to believe the team can compete next season with a better quarterback under center (or some growth from Michael Penix upon his return). That said, the Falcons would be wise to look elsewhere at head coach. That Atlanta, with this much talent across the board, needed a miracle run to finish 8-9 is embarrassing in and of itself.
Morris was a tremendous defensive coordinator before taking the Falcons job, but he’s just not cut for head coaching duties. The Falcons lost so many games this season due to boneheaded clock management and completely avoidable mistakes. No team in the NFC South has the playmaking depth on both sides of the football that Atlanta boasts. This team should be a genuine force in the postseason, not a middling third-place finisher. The Falcons could just fire OC Zac Robinson and hope to spark change at lower levels, but moving on from Morris is ideal — assuming Atlanta can find the right replacement.
Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns head coach
The Cleveland Browns closed their season with a win, but it won’t do much of anything to save Kevin Stefanski. The longtime Vikings assistant turned Cleveland head coach has serious credentials as an offensive playcaller, but the results never really manifested with the Browns. It has been six seasons now; Cleveland has only posted a winning record twice. The defense is elite, but Stefanski is not calling the shots defensively — and it’s the offense holding Cleveland back. He shouldn’t be allowed to ride Myles Garrett’s coattails to another year on the sideline.
This Browns squad is not without potential, and a lot of what ails them can be chalked up to horrid front office decisions. But it’s time to brush the slate clean and start giving Garrett and this Browns defense an honest chance at doing something special. Stefanski’s handling of the quarterback situation this season was a full-fledged disaster. He was not dealt the best hand, but sticking with Dillon Gabriel for as long as he did — and his exceedingly awkward relationship to Shedeur Sanders — left an understandably bitter taste in Browns fans’ mouths. Cleveland needs to hit the reset button.
Pete Carroll, Las Vegas Raiders head coach
The Las Vegas Raiders are limping to the worst record in the NFL and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Hiring Pete Carroll, who became the oldest head coach in league history this season at 74 years old, always felt incongruous with Las Vegas’ timeline. Even after the Geno Smith trade, this team was not ready to compete at a high level. The Raiders hold one of the lowest cap sheets in the NFL and built this roster with more patience than a coach like Carroll can afford.
So, it feels rather inevitable that Carroll will go one-and-done, whether he’s actually fired or just simply retires without fuss. Carroll is still a great coach, a future member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He deserved much better than this. Smith’s shocking decline was unforeseen, but the Raiders’ complete dearth of playmaking talent around him was plain as day. A lot needs to change in Las Vegas. Tom Brady will once again command their search for a new coach. Hopefully he’s a bit more calculated with his next hire.
John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens head coach
This is John Harbaugh’s 18th season as the Baltimore Ravens’ head coach. He has an impressive 180-112 record. He’s a Super Bowl champ and a former Coach of the Year. In terms of accomplishments and accolades, Harbaugh goes toe-to-toe with the greatest coaches in NFL history. And yet, the winds of change are howling in Baltimore, and it could be time for a fresh face.
Many of the Ravens’ struggles this season are not directly attributable to Harbaugh — you can’t blame him for Lamar Jackson getting hurt, nor for the other injuries that have ravaged Baltimore’s defense. And yet, even if the Ravens squeak past Pittsburgh on Sunday Night Football and punch their ticket to the postseason, it’s hard to get excited about a nine-win season. Baltimore has been unable to get over the hump for more than a decade. You can only cite Harbaugh’s 2012 Super Bowl run for so long. That’s old hat. Harbaugh won’t have trouble lining up a new job, and nor should he. But regardless of how Baltimore’s regular season finale plays out, this feels like the right moment for Baltimore to turn the page and start anew.