The NFL preseason wasn’t just a chance for new players and draftees to get evaluated, but new head coaches were evaluated as well. The only difference is they’re being evaluated on how they’re going to make their team good. They don’t have to worry about job security (yet), but they will have to handle the pressure of turning their team around.
For some coaches, there’s probably more pressure now than they realized, which compounds with the pressure they already had the moment they signed their contract. Nonetheless, with the preseason over and roster cuts just around the corner, there are a handful of rookie coaches whose jobs just got a lot harder thanks to a frustrating preseason.
Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears
I don’t think Ben Johnson truly appreciated how difficult of a job it was for him to take over the Chicago Bears. For one, they have a general manager that doesn’t have a winning season, a terrible track record of roster construction and some of the worst decision-making in the NFL. That’s all before we even got started on how miserable this team has been.
The Bears have failed numerous starting quarterbacks thanks to awful coaching decisions, and Johnson’s job is to clean all of that up, presumably in one season. He’ll obviously be afforded some patience, but that’s something the Bears simply don’t have.
This offseason showed us the Bears aren’t where they want to be or even where Johnson expects them to be. He criticized this offense numerous times this offseason, which is supposed to be his strength. In Detroit, he took an offense that was bad and made them good. He has that same expectation in Chicago. And the fact that he turned down other jobs as well as chose the Bears over other landing spots means he really has no excuses.
Caleb Williams hasn’t looked as good as Johnson would have hoped, and the offense as a whole just doesn’t look like it will be that explosive unit like we expect from a Johnson-led offense. That’s not to say it can’t get there, but based on the offseason alone, this team has a long way to go.
That’s why Johnson’s job right now is a lot harder than maybe we gave him credit for. As good of a coach as he was in Detroit, we expect him to have immediate results with one of the most talented offenses he could put together. He’ll have his work cut out for him in 2025.
Brian Schottenheimer, Dallas Cowboys
Once upon a time, Jerry Jones hired Barry Switzer to succeed Jimmy Johnson after he claimed “500 coaches could win a Super Bowl with this team”. The only other coach with as much pressure as Switzer had back then is Brian Schottenheimer. Before he’s had his first official NFL game as a head coach, he has to deal with the pressure of ending a 30-year championship drought, a disgruntled star player and an overbearing owner.
This will always be one of the toughest jobs in the NFL to ever take, and mix in the drama that is Micah Parsons’ contract, it only gets harder. What makes Schottenheimer’s job a little bit tougher after the preseason is that he’s seen what this team is supposed to look like without Parsons and still has to win.
I’m sure the Cowboys will get the deal done, but it doesn’t make Schottenheimer’s job any easier. You also have to take into account that he was a former offensive coordinator with the team, so his familiarity gives him a leg up.
The biggest question mark outside of the obvious Parsons situation is the offensive line. This offense can’t afford any slipups and with inexperience now at the forefront of this team, Schottenheimer has to get the best out of this offense with its weakest unit the most important.
Dak Prescott can only play at an elite, MVP level if he has the protection to make the plays. The last thing Schottenheimer or anybody wants is Prescott trying to make plays that aren’t there. This season could either be like most of the recent ones, or it could be a disaster. And all eyes will be on Schottenheimer and how he handles being the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
Liam Coen, Jacksonville Jaguars
Liam Coen’s job in Jacksonville is hard strictly because he was able to turn Baker Mayfield into one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense. Trevor Lawrence is at a crossroads right now and anything less than a strong season and the Jaguars might have to consider other options at quarterback.
Not only is Coen under the pressure of building a successful system around Lawrence, he also has to take an offense that already has solid weapons and make it successful. Despite Brian Thomas Jr. exploding onto the scene last year, the offense was subpar.
This year, thanks to Coen bringing an offensive mind good enough to produce a 4,500 yard passing quarterback, they can’t afford any hiccups. They added Travis Hunter with the No. 2 pick in April’s draft, and his two-sided ability should give the offense some more versatility. The Jags can’t afford any more missteps. Coen has to win right now, which isn’t completely his fault.
He took over a team that’s already got a solid foundation, they just need a coach that will actually help them win. Shad Khan believes that is Coen, so failing to produce results isn’t an option.