DFO Coaching Carousel 2017 Edition

The rumors are starting to heat up in advance of Week 17 games. Given that a lot of decisions are made immediately after the last game of the season, I’ve decided to go through each team to see what the outlook is for the coach instead of reacting after the fact.

Got the concept?  Ok, let’s begin:

AFC East

New England Patriots – Bill Bellichick

Record: 12-3

Coach Security:

Buffalo Bills – Sean McDermott

Record: 8-7

Coach Security:  Safe.  Even if the Bills miss the playoffs, and they probably will, this is a marked improvement for the franchise.  If Brady retires in the offseason, the Bills may actually have a chance at the division next year!

Miami Dolphins – Adam Gase

Record: 6-9 (Nice!)

Coach Security: Safe.  He’s only on Year Two and he lost his starter for the season.  It’s amazing the Dolphins managed to win so many games with a cat at QB.

New York Jets – Todd Bowles

Record: 5-10

Coach Security: The Jets were supposed to be the worst team in the league yet here they are with 5 wins.  In some games, they’ve even looked…functional?  I’m not sure how much you can blame on Bowles considering the lack of talent.  Call it 50-50 for him to be a fall guy.

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers – Mike Tomlin

Record: 12-3

Coach Security:

Unless you’re racist, you’re not calling for his ouster.

Baltimore Ravens – John Harbaugh

Record: 9-6

Coaching security:  Safe.  The Ravens are about to get into the playoffs despite not playing well the bulk of the season and are peaking at the right time.  If they could beat the Pats, I would wear purple camo to work that whole week.

Cincinnati Bengals – Marvin Lewis

Record: 6-9 (also nice!)

Coaching security: GONE. If not now, when?  Seriously, Marvin Lewis is the black Jeff Fischer.  Yes, I know Jeff Fischer has a worse coaching record, but that’s just because of institutionalized racism and the fact that it takes less for a black man to get fired than a white man.  Reports are this is the end of the line for Marvin and I tend to agree.  With all the expected openings, though, I’m pretty sure he will find a landing spot.

Cleveland Browns – Hue Jackson

Record: 0-15 (soon to be 1-15?)

Coaching security:  The Browns say they are sticking with Hue which really tells you all you need to know about the Browns.  Josh Rosen is right.

AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs – Andy Reid

Record: 9-6

Coaching security:

This is an interesting case study.  The history of Andy Reid suggests that he is a great coach that takes mediocre teams and turns them into contenders.  However, he can’t seem to get those teams past a certain point and at some point management gets sick of it and cans him.  The rumblings are already starting in KC.  It may take a couple of more years, but his days are numbered.

Los Angeles Chargers – Anthony Lynn

Record: 8-7

Coaching security:  For a first year coach to take a new team in a new town with no fans to the edge of the playoffs is quite an achievement. He’s good.

Oakland Raiders – Jack Del Rio

Record: 6-9 (Raider NICE!)

Coaching security: Safe. Del Rio has always had some question marks as a coach and his flaws were evident this season.  However, the season’s demise can be easily explained by the injuries to Derek Carr and friends and there is no denying that the team plays hard for him.

Denver Broncos – Vance Joseph

Record: 5-10

Coaching security:  Safe.  It’s not really fair to give a first-year coach a team with a tremendous defense and no QB.  The QB carousel at Denver is an embarrassment, specially considering John Elway is the GM.  Look for Denver to draft a QB and hopefully give Vance a chance to succeed.

AFC South

Jacksonville Jaguars – Doug Marrone

Record: 10-5

Coach security:  Safe.  Marrone has done a great job with Blake Bortles at QB.  True, the clock may strike midnight on the BORT experiment, but the defense has been up to the task all year long.

Tennessee Titans – Mike Mularkey

Record: 8-7

Coach security: Safe.  If the Titans win on Sunday against the Jags, they secure a return date on Wild Card Weekend in Jacksonville.  You can’t ask for more than a chance.

Houston Texans – Bill O’Brien

Record: 4-11

Coach security: Safe.  The injury to Deshaun Watson completely destroyed the Texans’ season.  Some would say that a better head coach would have gotten them out of the tailspin and I would say that’s correct, but I do not think Texans ownership thinks that way.  I say they give O’Brien another year with Watson to see what magic they can pull off.

Indianapolis Colts – Chuck Pagano

Record: 3-12

Coach security:  GONE. The handwriting is on the wall.  Jacoby Brisett is not THAT bad and the Colts should have played better.  Hey, at least he beat cancer!

NFC East

Philadelphia Eagles – Doug Pederson

Record: 13-2

Coaching security:

Yeah, he’s not going anywhere.

Dallas  Cowboys – Jason Garrett

Record: 8-7

Coaching security:  This motherfucker SHOULD be gone, but the Old Double J is too busy raking in the millions and banging mistresses to care.  Seriously, everyone in Dallas is sick of The Ginger and wants him gone.  Which means he’ll stay.

Washington F.C. – Jay Gruden

Record: 7-8

Coaching security: Mixed.  On the one hand, the season hasn’t gone completely to shit.  On the other, it hasn’t gone as planned either. This feels like another 50-50 proposition.

New York Giants – Ben Mc Adoo (FIRED!)

Record: 2-10 at time of firing

Coaching security:

NFC North

Minnesota Vikings – Mike Zimmer

Record: 12-3

Coaching security:

Detroit Lions – Jim Caldwell

Record: 8-7

Coaching security: Safe.  The light stays on for one more year.

Green Bay Packers – Captain Bluebunny Mike McCarthy

Record: 7-8

Coaching security:  Safe.  Another coach that will get a reprieve thanks to an injury to his starting QB.  In reality, he did coach up Hundley to a few wins, so that was actually a job well done.

Chicago Bears – John Fox

Record: 5-10

Coaching security: GONE. Or at least he should be.  John Fox is the new Jeff Fischer.  He just keeps getting hired and doing nothing.  I would hope Chicago management does the right thing here and fires him.

NFC West

Los Angeles Rams – Sean McVay

Record: 11-4

Coaching security: Safe.  Are you kidding me?  A division championship in his first year in a new city?  I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get a contract extension if he wins a playoff game.  Ron Howard voice: He won’t.

Seattle Seahawks – Pete Carroll

Record: 9-6

Coaching security:  Safe.  Assuming Atlanta Atlantas its way out of the playoffs, the Seahawks should make the playoffs once more.  That’s pretty good, considering the defense is falling apart.  They’ll need a rebuild, but they can do so while still winning, which is all you can ask for as a fan.

Arizona Cardinals – Bruce Arians

Record: 7-8

Coaching security:  GONE.  Arians put out a statement last night saying he will decide on his future between Monday and February.  I don’t think management gives him the time.

San Francisco 49ers – Kyle Shanahan

Record: 5-10

Coaching security:  Safe.  Quite frankly, I am shocked that the 49ers have rebounded from such a shitty start to get to five wins.  That’s a hell of an achievement.  It looks like Shanahan has started to purge the team of the bad apples and the team has responded.  I’m quite interested to see how much they can improve next year.

NFC South

New Orleans Saints – Sean Payton

Record: 11-4

Coaching security:

To all of you that thought Sean Payton was done, Sean Payton says, “SUUUUUCK IT!”

Carolina Panthers – Ron Rivera

Record: 11-4

Coaching security:

Yeah, he’s safe.

Atlanta Falcons – Dan Quinn

Record: 9-6

Coaching security:  Safe.  Although, if the Falcons Falcon and miss the playoffs the year after blowing a 23 point lead in the Super Bowl, Snidely Whiplash may think twice about investing long-term in Quinn.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Dirk Koetter

Record: 4-11

Coaching security: GONE.  I don’t know how he got the job in the first place, but it’s clear he’s lost the team.  Time to start again with Jon Gruden.

***

So, let’s see, carry the one… that makes 6 for sure coaching vacancies (one already open) and two 50-50 propositions, so call it 7.  That sounds like it’s right along the league average, so I’m fairly confident I’m right. Ron Howard voice:  He’s not.

Let me know what you think and tell me what I missed in the comments.