The 2021 NFL season is still a ways away, but with free agency and the NFL Draft done, the focus has shifted to the upcoming season. As is the case each and every season, there are quite a few head coaches who could be on the hot seat entering this year.
Last season, there were quite a few head coaches who ended up losing their job either during the season or immediately after. Among those coaches were Bill O'Brien with the Houston Texans, Doug Pederson with the Philadelphia Eagles, Dan Quinn with the Atlanta Falcons, Matt Patricia with the Detroit Lions, Anthony Lynn with the Los Angeles Chargers, and Adam Gase with the New York Jets.
With the season coming up, there are already three head coaches who have to be feeling their seat getting hotter. If they don't get off to a strong start this season, their respective franchises could very well make a move. Keeping their jobs will come with more success, and all of those guys have improved rosters to work with.
Teams do not have the luxury of waiting and hoping that things turn around when they aren't working. Making head coaching changes has become much more prevalent in recent years. That has made keeping a job much more difficult, and some coaches that think they are safe at the beginning of the season end up being relieved of their duties by the end of the year.
All of that being said, let's dive in and take a look at the top three head coaches on the hot seat entering the 2021 NFL season.
3. Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys
Prior to the 2020 NFL season, the Cowboys made the move to hire Mike McCarthy to replace Jason Garrett. McCarthy came back into the league after a year off following his firing from the Green Bay Packers. He had a lot of success during his time with the Packers, but his first season in Dallas did not go as planned.
McCarthy led the Cowboys to a 6-10 record and a third-place finish in the NFC East. Granted, the Cowboys dealt with numerous injury issues, including an early season-ending ankle injury suffered by franchise quarterback Dak Prescott. However, McCarthy still needs to take some blame.
Time and time again, fans in Dallas complained about the decisions that McCarthy made, especially in crucial situations. If he can not find more success in his second season as the Cowboys' head coach, Jerry Jones might consider a change. He is last on this list right now, but that could change if the team comes out flat in 2021.
2. Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals
Next up, we take a look at a franchise that has struggled mightily in the AFC North. Over the past few years, the Bengals have been nothing close to a playoff contender, but things are starting to change. With Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and a lethal offensive attack, the Bengals are hoping to take a big step in the right direction this season.
Zac Taylor was hired before the 2019 NFL season and was viewed as a young offensive-minded coach from the Sean McVay coaching tree. In his first two years with the Bengals, he compiled a 6-25-1 record. That record alone has placed Taylor on the hot seat.
If the Bengals are unable to take a big leap forward this season, moving on from Taylor would be a good move. Cincinnati has the weapons to be a playoff contender, but they don't even need to make the playoffs to save his job. Going from a 4-11-1 record last season to seven or eight wins could be just enough to keep him around for another season.
1. Matt Nagy, Chicago Bears
There have been a ton of rumors that Matt Nagy has been on the hot seat over the past couple of years. He has received a ton of criticism for his decision-making and play-calling and even ended up giving up play-calling last year. Nagy was considered one of the top up-and-coming head coaches, especially from an offensive perspective, just a couple of short years ago, but things have changed.
In his thee years with the Bears, Nagy owns a 28-20 record but has yet to lead Chicago past the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. He reached that round in two of his three years with the franchise thus far.
The Bears brought in Andy Dalton to be the new starting quarterback after moving on from Mitchell Trubisky, but they also drafted Ohio State star Justin Fields in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. The roster has improved, but now it's time for the coach to prove that he wasn't the main problem over the last couple of years. If Chicago struggles early on this season, especially on the offensive side of the football, Nagy could be on his way out of town.
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