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Previewing the 2016 NFL season by looking at five head coaches who will be on the hot seat this year. Following are the five coaches who will need to deliver the results to save their jobs in 2016.
Jeff Fisher, Los Angeles Rams
It seems that every year Jeff Fisher manages to avoid actually being on the hot seat despite having a record that should firmly place him near the chopping block season after season as the perpetually 7-9 head coach has made himself a living out of avoiding being fired following disappointing seasons.
However, Fisher has started to wear out his welcome with the Rams as a talented defense has yet to get over the hump in a tough NFC West under Fisher’s watch. Something that has started to become a concern as the Rams move to Los Angeles and will now have a far bigger spotlight placed on Fisher than when the Rams were underperforming in St. Louis.
Moving to LA will have the Rams thirsty for success, but the Rams still have the same problems as they have had under Fisher throughout his reign as the team lacks a consistent quarterback to lead the offense. If Fisher can’t get the job done this year and make the playoffs, it is probably the end of his time with the Rams as they will look for a new head coach who can get them past the Seahawks and Cardinals in the division if Fisher fails at the task again in 2016.
Jack Del Rio, Oakland Raiders
Jack Del Rio may be in his second season as the head coach of the Raiders, but expectations have never been higher in the post-Al Davis era in Oakland as after a lengthy playoff drought the Silver and Black feel that this is the year to finally break through the glass ceiling. Putting the pressure on Del Rio to produce January football in the Black Hole for the first time since 2002.
Brought in to get a young and talented Raiders core to the next level, the expectation is that Del Rio will be able to use his experience with Oakland’s division rival in the Denver Broncos to help this team take the final step to surpassing their rivals in the AFC West. A tough task with the defending champion Broncos and the Chiefs standing in the Raiders way. Even if Derek Carr, Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack are amongst the best young players in the league.
After extending general manager Reggie McKenzie’s contract this offseason, Del Rio’s job is probably safe if the Raiders miss the playoffs this season. However, the Raider Nation won’t be pleased if this team fails to live up to the hype after an offseason filled with hype that this will be the year this team finally returns to the playoffs.
Chuck Pagano, Indianapolis Colts
When Chuck Pagano first took over as the head coach of the Colts, it looked like he could do no wrong. Andrew Luck was emerging as a star quarterback, the AFC South was a weak division and it appeared at one point that the Colts were back to competing with their rivals in the Patriots for AFC titles.
Enter 2016 and both Pagano and Luck are now on the hot seat after a dismal 2015 where Luck was forced to the sidelines with injury, which led to the Colts demise. Allowing the Houston Texans to emerge as a threat to the Colts spot as kings of the AFC South, turning up the temperature in Indianpolis.
With the Titans, Jaguars and Texans all improving their teams, things will no longer be easy for Pagano in the division as there will be no more automatic bids into the playoffs for the Colts by virture of having a weak division. After failing to pick up the pieces without Luck last season, Pagano needs to return the Colts to the playoffs this year as a failed 2016 could force the pressing of the reset button in Indianapolis.
Gus Bradley, Jacksonville Jaguars
Coaching a young and talented (but rebuilding) Jacksonville Jaguars team, Gus Bradley has compiled a very disappointing 12-36 career record during his three seasons in Florida. A record that hasn’t mattered until this season as the Jags were building for the future and feel that Bradley is the man for the job.
However, after three seasons and a big free agency splash this March the hot seat will finally be turned on for Bradley for the first time as the Jaguars will want to see results from their head coach after practicing patience for this long. Firmly placing Bradley under the gun as he will have to deliver the progress if he wants to see out the rest of the rebuild in Jacksonville now that the team is built to win.
In a suddenly tough AFC South, it will be difficult for Bradley to deliver a playoff season. However, if the Jaguars can remain in the playoff picture come December it should be enough to keep his job as progress in Jacksonville should be enough to keep Bradley on the sidelines going forward. 12-36 record be dammed.
Jim Caldwell, Detroit Lions
Jim Caldwell is in a tough spot this season in Detroit as the Lions look to move on from Calvin Johnson after the wideout’s shocking early retirement. A decision that shocked the league and the Lions, who are left to pick up the pieces without their franchise wideout in a move that will have many fans feeling flashbacks to Barry Sanders’ retirement announcement.
Unfortunately for Caldwell, Johnson’s retirement will only add to the hotseat pressure in Detroit as the Lions will be wanting to see a bounce back year from their head coach after a very disappointing 7-9 season last year. A massive letdown for the Lions after Caldwell went 11-5 in his first season with the team before losing to the Cowboys in the Wild Card.
Caldwell has a solid 44-36 record as a head coach that is even more impressive when you take away the 2-14 season he endured in Indianpolis after Peyton Manning required season ending neck surgery, but that record alone won’t save him if he can’t stop the Lions decline. With the Packers being the Packers and the Vikings emerging thanks to a star young quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater, Caldwell will need to find answers to the Lions problems from their 7-9 season last year if he wants to keep his job going forward.
