Head coaching layoffs for the 2025 season are officially underway after the Tennessee Titans fired Brian Callahan.
Here are six other coaches who should fear losing their jobs with 12 weeks remaining in the season.
Mike McDaniel, Dolphins
Let’s be honest: it’s over. It remains to be seen when McDaniel will be fired. Miami is 1-5 after blowing a fourth-quarter lead to the Los Angeles Chargers, and the team’s stats are brutal through six games. The Dolphins rank 28th in offensive success rate, the side of the ball where McDaniel is expected to excel, and the defense ranks 31st in EPA/game play.
Tua Tagovailoa, who has thrown the third-most interceptions in the league this season with seven, criticized his teammates after Sunday’s game for missing players-only meetings. If the quarterback publicly disparages players in a postgame press conference, you have lost control of your team.
McDaniel holds a horrible head coaching record of 3-15 against clubs that were above .500 before the game. Owner Stephen Ross must be fed up at this point, and he fired head coaches during the previous season. He might not wait until the end of the year to fire McDaniel.
Thermometer: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 (out of five)
Jonathan Gannon, Cardinals
Arizona sits at 2-4 heading into Week 7, and its season is slipping away. The rest of the NFC West division holds a combined record of 12-6, leaving the Cardinals with slim chances of making the playoffs.
Gannon found himself in a tough spot after his team’s Week 5 loss to the Tennessee Titans. The head coach appeared to punch Emari Demercado after the running back had a costly fumble. Owner Michael Bidwill fined his head coach $100,000 for the incident, which does not bode well for Gannon’s future with the organization.
The 42-year-old is supposedly a defensive guru, but the Cardinals defense ranks last in success rate since he took over in 2023. The former Philadelphia Eagles coordinator holds a 14-26 record in 40 games at the helm with no playoff appearances. Bidwill will likely hit the eject button after the season if there isn’t a miraculous turnaround.
Thermometer: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Zac Taylor, Bengals
Taylor is under contract through the 2026 season and the Bengals are notoriously cheap. Could they let his contract expire and renew it next year? Of course. But Taylor should be worried about his job security.
The Bengals are 2-4 and have lost four straight games. Without Joe Burrow, the offense was a disaster. They’re 32nd in EPA/dropback since Week 3, and the unit has been a pain to watch. Taylor doesn’t set up anything open, and he’s supposed to be a player that gives his offense an edge.
Taylor has also already played his “fire the defensive coordinator” card. Al Golden, who replaced longtime coordinator Lou Anarumo this year, did nothing to fix the unit. Cincinnati’s defense is 30th in points per game allowed while Anuromo thrives in Indianapolis. It’s tough to win with a backup quarterback, but Taylor has compiled a 48-56-1 record in seven seasons. It’s probably time to give Burrow a fresh start with a new head coach in 2026.
Thermometer: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Brian Daboll, Giants
Winning cures everything in the NFL, and the Giants have won two of their last three games, including a dominant victory over the defending champions. Jaxson Dart looks like a franchise quarterback, and New York fans must be happy right now. But there’s still plenty of football left for the 2025 season.
Daboll entered the year in the hot seat, and it’s still hot. The Giants have one of the toughest remaining schedules in the league. The 50-year-old head coach has a 20-36-1 record during his four-year tenure, including an 11-29 record in his last 40 games.
Daboll’s future with the Giants is tied exclusively to Dart. Will the owners trust him to develop the young signal-caller, or will they decide to let someone else take the reins?
Thermometer: 🔥🔥🔥
John Harbaugh, Ravens
As everyone predicted, the Ravens are 1-5. If the season ended today, disappointing Baltimore would hold the third overall pick in April’s draft.
Lamar Jackson’s absence over the past two games hasn’t helped, but Baltimore was headed to a 1-4 record before the two-time MVP was injured against the Chiefs. This team isn’t doing anything right right now, and that’s mostly down to the head coach. In particular, the defense has been a mess, ranking last in EPA/rush heading into Week 7.
The Ravens have dug themselves a big hole and this season is in danger of being a massive failure. General manager Eric DeCosta deserves some blame for building the roster, but he won’t be leaving the building anytime soon. If anyone is going to lose their job because they failed to secure a playoff berth, it might be Harbaugh. The 63-year-old’s 3-6 postseason record since Jackson became starting quarterback in 2018 leaves a lot to be desired, and his time in Baltimore may have just run its course.
Thermometer: 🔥🔥🔥
Aaron Glenn, Jets
After last week’s horrible performance in London, Glenn is in the hot seat. He made several questionable in-game decisions at crucial moments, and his offense was responsible for the NFL’s worst performance of the year by any unit.
Glenn is off to an 0-6 start as head coach, and the Jets are the only winless team in the league. The 53-year-old has helped Detroit build an excellent defense during his career as Lions coordinator, but New York ranks 28th in EPA/play and points per game allowed. Glenn deserves at least two years to move this organization in the right direction. However, his tenure across six competitions has been disappointing to say the least.
Owner Woody Johnson, known for making irrational decisions, could pull the plug after a year and pair a potential Jets draftee quarterback in April with a new head coach.
Thermometer: 🔥🔥
