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Which NFL coaches could be fired in 2025? Aidin breaks down five head coaches on the hot seat and what their job security means for team success and fantasy football.
The NFL is a business first and foremost, just like all other major sports leagues. Naturally, wins have a direct correlation with profit, and if you can't win, you'll be shown the door, even if you were building a long-term project. For example, my local soccer team has burned through six different head coaches in the past eight months.
That might be an extreme example, as NFL team owners tend to be a little more patient than ruthless soccer team owners who will sack their head coaches even after winning trophies (looking at you, Daniel Levy). Still, an average NFL head-coaching tenure is just around three years. Three years is hardly enough time to build a winner, and you can easily get the sack if you fail to impress during that time.
Without further ado, let's look at five NFL head coaches who are on the hot seat in the 2025 NFL season. Due to the Steelers and Bengals' history of sticking with their head coaches, Mike Tomlin and Zac Taylor will not feature, but things will look really bad for them if they underperform in 2025.
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Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons
Raheem Morris' NFL coaching career couldn't have gotten off to a better start, as he helped coach the legendary 2002 Buccaneers defense and won a Super Bowl ring in his first year as a defensive quality control coach.
Raheem Morris is now 29-46 as an NFL head coach, has never made the playoffs, and basically single-handedly cost the Falcons their season.
I have no idea how people like him, Dennis Allen, etc. keep getting HC opportunities.
Surely there has to be someone better lol
— brent says go Padres, go SDFC 🟡 (@realbrentreed) December 30, 2024
After briefly leaving Tampa Bay and then returning, he was promoted to head coach ahead of the 2009 season. He only won three games that year, but almost led the team to the playoffs with a 10-6 season in 2010.
Unfortunately, that one year is still the high point of Morris' head-coaching career. He was fired after a four-win season, and after spending time as part of the coaching staff in Washington, Atlanta, and the L.A. Rams (where he won his second Super Bowl), he was rehired by the Falcons, but this time as the head coach.
The Falcons entered the season as the favorites to win the NFC South, so the pressure was on Morris to make the playoffs for the first time in his head-coaching career.
Morris, whom the Falcons hired over Bill Belichick and Mike Vrabel, started the season 6-3, which included two wins over the defending NFC South champion Buccaneers.
But the team fell apart as Kirk Cousins' production fell off dramatically. A 2-6 run to end the year meant the Falcons had handed the division crown to the Bucs once again.
Despite the late-season collapse, this Atlanta roster has plenty of talent. After replacing Cousins late last season, Michael Penix Jr. is ready to prove himself to the world, while Bijan Robinson and Drake London want to become All-Pros for the first time in their careers.
The Falcons haven't had a winning season since 2017, and after three years of tolerating the mediocrity of Arthur Smith, owner Arthur Blank might not be too forgiving if Morris leads the team to yet another losing season.
Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills
After spending many years as a defensive coach under Andy Reid in Philadelphia and Ron Rivera in Carolina, Sean McDermott was hired by the Bills as their head coach in 2017. To say that McDermott has done a tremendous job as their head coach would be an understatement.
Before hiring McDermott, the Bills had gone 17 consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance. Buffalo was viewed as the most hopeless city in major American sports, especially after the "cursed" city of Cleveland won the NBA championship in 2016.
He and superstar QB Josh Allen have turned the Bills into a perennial contender. Since 2020, the Bills have won the AFC East every year with at least 11 wins each year, and they have also reached two AFC Championship Games.
But success raises expectations. After years of suffering, Bills fans used to be happy with just one playoff appearance, but now, they want to win a Super Bowl and especially get past Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
With four losses to them in the past five playoffs, the Bills are hoping to get over the hump and finally reach a Super Bowl. Another loss to the Chiefs in the playoffs would put McDermott's job in serious jeopardy.
Brian Callahan, Tennessee Titans
As the son of former Raiders head coach Bill Callahan, it was obvious that coaching was in Brian Callahan's DNA. His first six years in the NFL as a member of the Denver Broncos' coaching staff were certainly eventful, as he witnessed the disastrous second year of Josh McDaniels in Denver, Tebow Mania, Peyton Manning's record-breaking 2013 season, and the legendary 2015 Broncos defense that won the Super Bowl.
Cam Ward has been coming in at 5am, and then having to be kicked out of the building some nights.
I asked Titans HC Brian Callahan how you manage a singularly-focused player like him: pic.twitter.com/fSvVgh1IEh
— Easton Freeze (@eastonfreeze) June 3, 2025
Callahan then went to the Lions and Raiders before becoming the offensive coordinator of the Bengals, playing a big part in the rise of Joe Burrow.
Callahan's success in Cincinnati, which saw him help the team reach Super Bowl LVI, caught the attention of plenty of teams around the league. He was eventually hired by the Tennessee Titans and endured a difficult first season as the Titans had the worst record in the NFL.
Because of this, they were rewarded with the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which they used to draft Miami quarterback Cam Ward. Dan Moore Jr. and Kevin Zeitler are also key additions who should help the team's offensive line take a step in the right direction.
This is a crucial year for Ward's development, and the Titans have to improve and be exciting to watch if Callahan wants to keep his job after this year.
Brian Daboll, New York Giants
After spending 11 years (in two stints) with the Patriots under Bill Belichick and achieving little-to-no success as an offensive coach with the Jets, Browns, Dolphins, and Chiefs, Brian Daboll was hired as Sean McDermott's OC in 2018 and exceeded all expectations, which landed him the top job with the Giants in 2022.
Daboll's debut year as a head coach was magical, as he brought the Giants back to the playoffs after a five-year absence and even won a playoff game. They won nine games that season, but they've regressed since then, winning six games in 2023 and just three games in 2024 as former Giants star Saquon Barkley became arguably the best player in the world, leading the rival Eagles to a Super Bowl win.
Daboll will have to choose carefully between Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and Jaxson Dart as the team's starting quarterback in 2025, as this decision could either extend or end his tenure with the Giants.
Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns
The struggles of the 21st-century Browns have been well-documented, but it seemed like their fortunes would turn around in the early 2020s. Kevin Stefanski spent 14 years as an offensive coach with the Vikings, coaching legends such as Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson before becoming the 18th head coach of the Cleveland Browns in 2020.
Kevin Stefanski gave an honest take on Shedeur Sanders's work ethic pic.twitter.com/Kz2ri4AUBx
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) May 23, 2025
Stefanski won the Coach of the Year Award in his rookie year as he led the Browns to the playoffs alongside QB Baker Mayfield, but his relationship with Mayfield soured in the following seasons.
The Browns returned to winning ways in 2023 as Stefanski won his second Coach of the Year Award, but following an embarrassing playoff loss, Mayfield's success in Tampa Bay, and a disastrous 2024 season, Stefanski is under immense pressure.
In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Browns selected controversial high-profile QB Shedeur Sanders, and all eyes will be on the Browns to see how Sanders performs on the biggest stage when he inevitably gets on the field.
If Stefanski doesn't handle Sanders with care, he will face the wrath of outspoken NFL legend Deion Sanders. Even though he claims he's "committed" to Colorado, Sanders wouldn't mind coaching his son at the highest level, and it'd be a good publicity stunt for such a dysfunctional franchise.
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