Sportsnaut
There are just two weeks remaining in the NFL season, meaning we are closing in on that Black Monday period after the regular-season finale when we’ll see NFL coaches fired. It certainly feels like a few franchises ahve already made their decisions, but the fates of other head coaches could be decided in the final two games.
Let’s dive into our predictions for which NFL coaches will be fired at the end of the regular season based on the top names listed on the NFL coaching hot seat.
The Miami Dolphins got worse for the second consecutive year and have now missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons. There is a price to pay for that, and it felt safe to say that two of general manager Chris Grier, head coach Mike McDaniel, and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa would be pushed out this offseason. Grier was already fired, and Miami closed the door on Tagovailoa’s future with the franchise by demoting him to third-string quarterback. He might return in 2026 because of his cap hit, but he will not be the starting quarterback next season.
Mike McDaniel will be back. A new front office will work with McDaniel to find a bridge starter for the 2026 NFL season, either acquiring one via trade or signing one of the top veterans in NFL free agency. It will be an opportunity for McDaniel to prove that he can get his passing game back on track with a better signal-caller, and his success in revitalizing Miami’s ground game this season suggests he will be successful.
A two-time NFL Coach of the Year winner, the Cleveland Browns opted to give Kevin Stefanski a second chance after last season’s 3-14 record. He didn’t make the most of it with the Browns offense getting even worse and the team poised to finish with 13-plus losses for the second consecutive season. This offseason, Cleveland will be bringing in both a new head coach and quarterback. As for Stefanski, given the lack of high-end coaching candidates available who are offensive minded, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he immediately gets hired by another franchise. In the eyes of many, wonder happened in Cleveland is more of an indictment on the franchise itself than Stefanski as a head coach.
Related: Cleveland Browns Coaching Candidates 2026
There is a strong argument to be made for Zac Taylor being on the NFL coaching hot seat, and with a normal organization, it would make perfect sense. The Cincinnati Bengals have missed the playoffs in three consecutive seasons, and there is a strong argument that Joe Burrow is the primary reason why Taylor had success before that. However, we’re talking about the Bengals. Owner Mike Brown seemingly views director of player personnel Duke Tobin like a son, and this is a family-run organization that does not like to spend money and believes in...
