Ranking NFL coaches by the heat of their seat: Week 6 Edition
By Nick Villano
Each year, there is a mass turnaround at the head coaching position. As much as a third of NFL coaches could be fired, forced to resign, or retire in a single season. So far, no coaches have been given their pink slip in 2023, but that doesn't mean teams haven't come close.
Right now, there are seven teams in the leagues with one win or fewer. Those teams are in very different places in their franchise trajectory, and that will give clues as to who is really on the hot seat and who might be given some rope. Either way, it doesn't matter if a head coach is one of the best ever or a rookie, teams will not stand for incompetence at this level. If the team is good and the record is not, very often the coach is the one who takes the blame.
As we look at an updated version of the hot seat rankings, some of the rankings changed drastically from the preseason. All previous rankings on the list come from the piece we did back in May. A lot can change in five months, especially within the NFL landscape. Who did themselves a solid and saved their job, and who might be looking for their next opportunity?
32. Andy Reid - Kansas City Chiefs
Previous Ranking: 31
Andy Reid is the safest coach in football. Barring an even bigger scandal than the one his son brought to his locker room, nothing will get him fired this season. He's coming off a Super Bowl win. He's doing a lot with less talent than he may have ever had around Patrick Mahomes. He's still likely to win the AFC West, and even a playoff flameout won't make the owners and GM forget about his Super Bowl runs. Reid is here to stay unless he decides it's time to eat his cheeseburgers on the beach in retirement.
31. Kyle Shanahan - San Francisco 49ers
Previous Ranking: 29
Kyle Shanahan is probably the best coach in the NFL right now. He has the San Francisco 49ers looking unstoppable. He's made Brock Purdy into the most efficient quarterback in the league, and Christian McCaffrey has legit MVP hype. The defense is just as good as the offense, which is saying something. The 49ers have to be the smart favorite to win the Super Bowl, and basically, nothing would get Shanahan fired at this point.