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NFL training camps open this week, and several head coaches may already be feeling the heat.
Below are five on the hottest seats heading into 2026.
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor
In a division long run by Super Bowl champs Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh, Taylor finds himself as the AFC North's longest-tenured coach after the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers made changes following the end of the 2025 season. He might not be for long, however, if the Bengals go through a fourth straight non-playoff season.
Cincinnati invested $132.5M in defensive contracts this offseason, per Spotrac data, to fix a horrendous unit that ranked in the bottom three in points and yards allowed in 2025. With an offense that has no excuse not being among the league's best and significant turnover elsewhere in the division, Taylor should have a mandate of playoffs or bust.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles
Tampa's grasp of the NFC South came undone last season, prompting minor staffing changes, most notably replacing Josh Grizzard with Zac Robinson at offensive coordinator. Larger moves could await next offseason unless Bowles, entering his fifth season as Bucs head coach, leads Tampa back atop the division.
Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen
Among the league's 32 coaches, Steichen is the only with more than one season in his role and no playoff appearances. He was on his way to a breakthrough last year, but an 0-7 finish spoiled goodwill generated from an 8-2 start. Quarterback Daniel Jones' recovery from a torn Achilles could be key to determining Steichen's future. Coming up short of the postseason again may not be an option.
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni
It's always sunny in Philadelphia, which may explain why Sirianni's seat can never cool down. Get the man some shade.
Despite winning Super Bowl LIX two seasons ago, Sirianni may not be able to afford a repeat of 2025 to make it to 2027. The Eagles sleepwalked to an NFC East title as the only division team with a winning record, going 11-6 and fielding one of the league's most disappointing offenses.
The Eagles fired Kevin Patullo after one season as offensive coordinator and replaced him with former Green Packers quarterbacks coach Sean Mannion. Sirianni is bullish on the hire, recently telling NBC Sports Philadelphia he's "not at all concerned" with the first-year coordinator's lack of experience as a play caller "because he's worked his a-- off."
As the fifth offensive coordinator under Sirianni in six seasons as head coach, Mannion's success or failure could decide his fate.
Earlier this offseason, Jason La Canfora shared comments from one NFL general manager who said, "Sirianni has to know his job is on the line with this [offensive coordinator] hire."
Mannion's lack of history calling plays makes the upcoming training camp and preseason arguably more important for the coaching staff than players. After expressing confidence in the former Packers assistant, Sirianni noted that the offseason has been key to simulating situations the first-time coordinator will find himself in during the regular season.
"My job is to make sure I put him in as many scenarios as I possibly can to help him go through that," Sirianni said.
Mannion's performance may be the defining story of the Eagles season. If he flops, Sirianni likely won't be choosing a sixth offensive coordinator.
New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn
No interceptions. 17 games and not a single interception. That fact is still hard to believe nearly eight months after the Jets became the first team in the Super Bowl era to go an entire season without recording an interception. That historical blunder is made even worse consider Glenn is a former NFL defensive back and spent four seasons as Detroit Lions defensive coordinator before being hired during the 2025 cycle.
Other coaches have been let go after one season over far less, leaving Glenn with plenty to prove in Year 2. Things can't get much worse, although the Jets may certainly try.
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