Brian Callahan became the first NFL head coach to be fired in the 2025-26 season, when the Tennessee Titans let him go after their 1-5 start coming out of Week 6. That answers the distinguished question of “which NFL head coach will get canned first”, but it remains to be seen which coach will be next.
Last season saw six head coaches relieved of their duties, whether during the season or on the infamous “Black Monday” after the regular season. In 2023, seven head coaches got fired, and Bill Belichick stepped away from his role with the New England Patriots. There’s bound to be some turnover in 2025, so we look at the five head coaches most likely to be next on the chopping block.
Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins
The current betting favorite to be the next NFL head coach to be fired, Mike McDaniel, has overseen a disastrous season for the Miami Dolphins. They sit at 2-7 coming out of Week 9; their formerly high-powered offense hasn’t lived up to expectations, and they’ve allowed the third-most points in the AFC.
Things started incredibly well for McDaniel in Miami, as the Dolphins made the playoffs in each of his first two years at the helm. But they took a step back with an 8-9 record last year, and it’s gone downhill quickly since then. Rumors of locker room unrest have run rampant, which only adds fuel to the fire. It’s safe to assume Miami will be looking for a new head coach next year.
Jonathan Gannon, Arizona Cardinals
As of this writing, the Arizona Cardinals have a plus-minus score of just -1, indicating that all season long, they’ve given up just one more point than they’ve scored. That’s a better total than teams sitting above .500 like the Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers, and Jacksonville Jaguars. But the Cardinals are just 2-5, an indictment of head coach Jonathan Gannon.
It’s clear the Cardinals have a talented team, and Gannon has his team competitive in just about every game. However, they go into their Week 9 Monday night game losers of five straight, with none of those losses coming by more than four points. In a year, Arizona was supposed to compete; they’re near the bottom of the NFC, and Gannon could pay the price for it.
Brian Daboll, New York Giants
It’s alarming to think that, in the first nine games of the last three seasons, the New York Giants have gone 2-7 under Brian Daboll each time. One could argue he was already on the hot seat last year, but the Giants ran it back for another season. The results have been pretty much the same.
Granted, Daboll has looked better this year, and the tape has been more encouraging for New York. Jaxson Dart is playing encouraging ball as a rookie, and the Giants have battled hard through the losses of offensive standouts like Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo. But after multiple seasons of losing football, it feels like the end of the line could be near.
Aaron Glenn, New York Jets
Aaron Glenn is the only person on this list in his first year as an NFL head coach. I’m generally not a big fan of letting go of head coaches after just one year, and the New York Jets’ roster hasn’t given Glenn much to work with. But with just how bad this season has been, there’s a possibility the former Detroit Lions defensive coordinator finds himself on the hot seat.
Coming out of their Week 9 bye week, the Jets have a 1-7 record. From their lackluster passing attack to their porous defense, it’s been a bad season all around for New York. The expectation was never really there for Glenn to lead this team to the playoffs in Year 1, but they find themselves tied for the fewest wins in the NFL. It’s a long shot he gets fired, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns
It feels wrong to include Kevin Stefanski in a list of coaches on the hot seat. He’s a two-time NFL Coach of the Year who has led the Cleveland Browns, a perennial losing team, to the playoffs twice. He’s faced plenty of turnover along the way, especially at the quarterback position. Still, it’s tough to ignore how bad the last two years have been.
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The Browns’ 3-14 record tied them for the fewest wins in the league, and their 2-6 record in 2025 isn’t much more encouraging. I’d expect Stefanski to get a head coaching job elsewhere in the NFL if he’s fired. He’s had enough success amidst instability to warrant another gig right away. That said, it wouldn’t be surprising if Cleveland decided to wipe the slate clean and hire someone else.