5 NFL coaches who are surprise hot-seat candidates in 2026

NFL training camps will soon be starting and, as usual, there are some head coaches who are entering the season with something big to prove.

There are some coaches such as Zac Taylor of the Cincinnati Bengals, Shane Steichen of the Indianapolis Colts and Todd Bowles of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who are clearly in situations where they most deliver to keep their jobs after the 2025 season.

Yet, there are other coaches who also may feeling pressure soon if they stumble this season. Between six and seven coaching changes happen every offseason, on average and there were 10 coaches fired in 2025, There are always surprises. Here’s a look at some other potential head coaches who may be in the hot seat, presented in alphabetical order:

Yes, Canales led the Panthers to the playoffs in 2o25, his second season. But they went 8-9 and won in a weak NFC South Divison. He is 13-21 in the regular season. That’s not great. If the Panthers take a step back and quarterback Bryce Young doesn’t take a big step forward, Panthers owner David Tepper very well may lose his patience and make a move up top.

Overall, Campbell has done a good job making the Lions relevant and he runs a strong program. But if the Lions, who went 9-8, fail to make the playoffs for a second year in a row and show signs of regression, he could be in trouble. The NFC North is stacked and the Lions’ window may be getting tighter. So, there’s not a lot of time to fool around in the Motor City.

O’Connell’s situation is similar to Campbell’s. He is considered an excellent coach and he won the NFL Coach of the Year award in 2024, but if he fails to lead the Vikings to the playoffs for a second straight year, there could be consequences, especially if the quarterback situation is a mess again. He was hired partly because of his prowess as a quarterback whisperer. If progress isn’t made, he could be in trouble. Remember, new Minnesota general manager Nolan Teasley doesn’t have ties to O’Connell, so he must prove himself in 2026.

Quinn went 12-5 in his first season in Washington and he went just 5-12 last season. There were major injuries starting with young standout quarterback Jayden Daniels, so it wasn’t all on Quinn. But if the Commanders have a second straight rough season, there could be changes in the aggressive NFC East.

I know, I know, Ryans is an awesome coach. But, remember, this is a list of surprise coaches who could be on the hot seat. Ryans has won two division titles in three years and has made the playoffs all three seasons. He is 3-3 in the postseason. I think the only way something happens with Ryans is if the Texans fall on their face and quarterback C.J. Stroud struggles. The Houston defense is superb, but if the offense holds the Texans back in a big way, ownership could look for the best offensive coach available and this would be a coveted position. Oh, and if that scenario did unfold, Ryans would have a new job by lunch.