The 2025 NFL season has been one of the most unexpected years in recent memory for either conference. Teams like the New England Patriots and Chicago Bears have surprised everybody, while the disappointment for the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions has been undeniable.
With all that turmoil, though, a few rosters in particular have severely underperformed from their preseason expectations. For names like Brian Callahan and Bria Daboll, that has resulted in them losing their jobs. But they might not be the only ones who feel the heat when it comes to their head coaching positions.
NFL Coaching Hot Seat After Week 12
Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals
The Joe Burrow injury might be part of it. But the Cincinnati Bengals have won one game since Week 2. At some point, some of the consequence needs to be placed on Zac Taylor for how the team, and the defense in particular, has performed.
Ranked dead last on PFSN’s Defense Impact, it feels impossible that the operation could be fixed even after their franchise quarterback makes his return. For all the success Burrow had last season on an individual level, the Bengals missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
He might be nearing a return in Week 13, but it would be hard to find optimism that things can turn around for Cincy once he’s back. Replacing Lou Anarumo as defensive coordinator was their big hope for turning things around this year.
But the defense has remained just as bad, if not worse, than last season. As a result, a returning Pro Bowler might not be enough to get them over the hump. The front office has shown a willingness to make changes to the coaching staff to turn things around.
But after the addition of Al Golden as the new defensive coordinator didn’t fix things, a move at the head coach spot could be next in line for the franchise.
Jonathan Gannon, Arizona Cardinals
The problems for the Arizona Cardinals were multifold in Week 12. Not only did they lose a halftime lead to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but they also lost a game in which they forced four turnovers on their opponent.
Even though Jacoby Brissett continued his string of consistent quarterbacking, the team has been unable to stack wins at any point under head coach Jonathan Gannon. As a result, the noise is getting louder in Arizona.
And, as it turns out, it’s reaching its intended target as well. After the game, Gannon had some fiery comments about his tenure with the Cardinals. “Not a controllable for me. I didn’t hire myself. I’m not going to fire myself,” Gannon said.
“Seriously, no, I know it comes up. That’s the business we’re in. If you don’t want to be in that business, we laugh, we joke, go work somewhere else. I’m going to control the controllables for myself. I come to work, and do the best job that I can, and try to get our team in a position to win a game.”
It’s unclear what the future holds for the former defensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles, but the heat is becoming undeniable at this point. After getting mighty close to a playoff appearance in 2024, their chance at making things right has gone haywire in a hurry.
It might not be entirely on him, but Gannon could end up being the one who faces the axe at some point, whether it is during or after the season.
Pete Carroll, Las Vegas Raiders
Since the merger, quarterbacks taken in the fifth round or later had a 19-36-1 record in their first career start, until Sunday. Shedeur Sanders, the 144th overall pick in the draft for the Cleveland Browns, increased that number to 20 wins against the Las Vegas Raiders.
It might have been the final nail in the team’s coffin, after they came into the year with some mighty words and expectations. Whether it was trading for Geno Smith, appointing Pete Carroll, or drafting Ashton Jeanty, their hopes of returning to the playoffs were crystal clear.
At the time, the former Super Bowl champion arrogantly boasted that he “knew how to win in this league.” After Week 12, he might want to revise that statement, as Vegas has gone 2-9 on the year and fired both its special teams and offensive coordinators, the latter of which was the highest-paid coordinator in the entire NFL.
Clearly, the new ownership group, which includes Tom Brady, isn’t afraid of quick-fire decisions to make things better. After Chip Kelly was let go, it might not be a surprise if Carroll is the next name removed from the sidelines, particularly with the failures of the season mounting on his shoulders.
Honorable Mention: Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Yes, the injuries are an easy thing to point to. But a 3-0 squad going 6-5, with the defense becoming the major problem, isn’t something that a returning Mike Evans can fix. The problem for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has been their head coach, Todd Bowles.
The fan base has been calling him out for quite some time, but his excellence as a defensive-minded head coach hasn’t translated since he took over the job. While the unit was a top-five unit in three consecutive seasons when he served as the defensive coordinator, it hasn’t sniffed the same heights since.
But the problems from Bowles have extended beyond the defense. Clock and game management, which were an Achilles’ heel for him when he first took the job, haven’t gotten better in the years since.
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They might have cost the Buccaneers the game against the Buffalo Bills, while the egregious decision to send a clearly hurt Baker Mayfield out for another Hail Mary attempt against the Los Angeles Rams, while they had a 28-7 lead, could have been disastrous for the long-term health of their franchise quarterback.
