Three hottest NFL head-coaching seats after Josh McDaniels firing

The Las Vegas Raiders firing Josh McDaniels could set off a chain reaction. It may be the first of many head-coach firings in the NFL this season.

McDaniels was canned midway through his second season as a head coach for the second time in his career, and it appears teams are becoming less patient with below-average results as head coaches are seemingly being given shorter leashes each year.

It’s been speculated that the number of coaches who could be let go this season could get as high as double digits by the end of the year. Here’s a look at the three HCs on the hottest seats after McDaniels’ firing:

1. Brandon Staley, Los Angeles Chargers

In two-and-a-half seasons with the Chargers, Staley has a record barely over .500 (22-19), and few can find a reasonable explanation given the talent Los Angeles has, particularly with quarterback Justin Herbert. His only playoff appearance resulted in epically blowing a 27-point lead to the Jacksonville Jaguars in January, and the Chargers are 3-4 this year with their work cut out just to make it back to the postseason.

Staley is known as a defensive guru, and yet, L.A. has the 31st-ranked defense in the NFL and allow the ninth-most points per game. Staley hasn’t given the Chargers front office much reason to keep him around either with his questionable game management and the lack of progress and development from his first day on the job.

2. Matt Eberflus, Chicago Bears

Eberflus’ tenure in Chicago can best be described as trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. For whatever reason, he just hasn’t seemed to be an organizational fit, and the writing appears to be on the wall for the second-year coach, who’s won just five of his first 25 games.

Eberflus was handed a potential franchise quarterback in Justin Fields and done little to develop him into the superstar he was believed to be when he was drafted 11th overall in 2021. Additionally, Eberflus was heralded as a sharp defensive mind, but the Bears rank just 23rd in total defense and allow the fifth-most points in the league. If the Bears don’t finish with at least a .500 record, Eberflus could be unemployed come January.

3. Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bus started the year 3-1 and looked to be a surprise contender in the NFC, but after a three-game losing streak, Bowles has gone from upstart overachiever to on the hot seat. He’s just 11-13 in a season-and-a-half with the Bucs, and he’s done very little to improve the roster over that time.

If Tampa misses the playoffs, the organization could opt for a fresh start and bring in a new head coach and allow him to draft his franchise quarterback in a loaded 2024 draft class that could have as many as eight first-round signal-callers.