NFL Week 13: A Brutal Week for Coaches on the Hot Seat
We would never wish this pressure on anyone, but it was a bad week to be an embattled NFL head coach in Week 13. As the regular season approaches its final stretch, several coaches found themselves staring down the barrel of job insecurity, with poor performances leading to losses and, in some cases, firings. The week began with Matt Eberflus‘s final stand in Chicago, with him being fired. Despite a competitive game against the Detroit Lions, the Bears coach once again mismanaged critical moments in the fourth quarter, resulting in a 23-20 loss. The defeat marked Chicago’s sixth straight loss, which was the final straw for Eberflus. On Friday, the Bears announced his dismissal, ending his tenure with a disappointing 4-9 record and no real sign of improvement for the team.
But Eberflus wasn’t the only coach feeling the heat. By Sunday evening, almost every other coach on the hot seat seemed to have followed suit with another loss. Across nine games featuring a mix of winning and losing teams, the teams with winning records emerged victorious. The Denver Broncos‘ Monday night matchup against the Cleveland Browns was the only exception, but it also ended up being a reminder of how high the stakes are for coaches whose jobs are on the line. With just five weeks left in the season, many of these coaches face a defining stretch that could determine whether they return for the 2025 season or join the growing list of coaches shown the door in 2024.
Struggling Teams and Coaches
The future of many coaches hangs in the balance, especially as the season winds down and front offices start to take stock of progress, or lack thereof. While some of the losing teams might not have coaches with immediate job fears, the pressure is mounting for others, especially those who failed to deliver after a strong start or made no real strides despite high expectations.
The Giants’ Thanksgiving Day performance against the Dallas Cowboys is a prime example. Head coach Brian Daboll, who earned widespread praise for his work in 2022, is now facing significant pressure after the Giants’ disastrous 2024 campaign. New York’s loss to Dallas on the holiday wasn’t just a tough blow for the team’s playoff hopes—it also deepened questions about Daboll’s ability to lead the Giants out of their current slump. Despite his previous success, Daboll is now in a situation where another loss or two might be enough for ownership to reconsider their direction. This has led many to wonder: could Daboll fall victim to the dreaded Coach of the Year curse, where coaches who experience a meteoric rise one season often see their fortunes crumble the next?
Other coaches like Brian Callahan of the Cincinnati Bengals, Jerod Mayo in New England, Doug Pederson of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Antonio Pierce with the Las Vegas Raiders have all had their share of struggles this season. Each has either faced inconsistent performance or failed to meet expectations, leaving their job security in question as the season nears its close.
Zach Taylor of the Bengals (article title picture), once hailed as a promising young coach after taking his team to the Super Bowl, now faces the aftermath of a disappointing year. Despite a strong roster, Cincinnati’s struggles this year have many wondering if Taylor can right the ship before the season is out.
For Jeff Ulbrich, the defensive coordinator with the New York Jets, the team’s inability to consistently perform defensively and support an ineffective offense has led to whispers about his future. A potential coaching change might be in the works as the Jets’ postseason hopes continue to dwindle.
What These Coaches Must Do Even If They Can’t Save Their Jobs
As we head into the final stretch of the regular season, these coaches have very little room for error. They need to prove that their teams can play with urgency, discipline, and competitiveness. For those facing possible job losses, here’s what they must do:
- Adapt and improve: Eberflus’ firing shows that organizations are unwilling to wait forever for improvement. Coaches on the hot seat need to demonstrate that they can make adjustments, particularly in crucial game situations. Whether it’s fixing late-game decision-making, as Eberflus failed to do, or figuring out how to get the best out of players, adaptation is key.
- Win the close games: In many instances, teams underperform because they can’t finish strong. For coaches like Daboll, Callahan, and Pederson, showing they can win close games or push their teams to perform under pressure will go a long way.
- Leverage star players: Sometimes, the difference between a successful coach and a fired one comes down to how well they use the talent at their disposal. Teams like the Bengals, with Joe Burrow, and the Jaguars, with Trevor Lawrence, have franchise quarterbacks they can build around. It’s on the coaching staff to unlock their full potential and create a system that maximizes their playmakers.
- Create a culture of accountability: For teams like the Raiders, where internal dysfunction can sometimes hinder performance, establishing a clear sense of accountability within the locker room and building a positive, focused atmosphere will be crucial to earning the trust of ownership and fans.
As Week 13 unfolded, it became clear that the margin for error is razor-thin for many of the NFL’s coaches. The firing of Matt Eberflus is only the beginning of what could be a significant coaching shake-up in the coming weeks. For some, the chance to turn things around is still within reach—but they’ll need to prove it quickly, or risk becoming part of a growing list of coaches that didn’t survive the 2024 season.