Browns Fire Hue Jackson, Which NFL Head Coach is Next?
The Cleveland Browns have finally ended the Hue Jackson reign of terror in Cleveland. After posting a 3-36-1 record in 2.5 years in Cleveland the Browns had more then enough and fired the beleaguered coach after the Browns 33-18 meltdown to the Steelers on Sunday. The firing of Jackson was inevitable, if not late in coming. Many thought that Jackson should have been canned after the club's 0-16 performance last year. Nevertheless, Jackson is out.
The question is, who is next on the NFL coach's hot seat?
Todd Bowles, New York Jets: Record: 23-34 in four seasons.
It is fair to say that Bowles is coaching for his job as the Jets enter the second half of the season at 3-5, the same exact record they had each of the last two seasons at this time of the year. In each of the last two seasons the Jets finished 5-11. A look at the remaining schedule it is hard to fathom the Jets finishing better than 6-10. Bowles has become notorious for his coaching gaffs, namely the team's lack of discipline, which was on full display Sunday when New York was called for seven pre-snap penalties, including one to start the game. On top of that he has been ultraconservative, i.e. his consistent decision to punt in crucial situations with his team down multiple scores, and his inability to get involved in the offensive game plan has been nothing short of troubling. The Jets amassed only 207 yards of offense against the Bears, the third worst output of the Bowles regime. The other two horrible efforts came last year against Denver and this season against Jacksonville. Bowles will likely finish the season, but the clock is ticking.
Pat Shurmur, New York Giants: Record: 1-7 in his first year.
In today's NFL is not unusual for a first year coach to get fired. Cam Cameron went 1-15 his first year as head coach in Miami in 2007 and was promptly fired. Mike Mularky was also one-and-done after going 2-14 in his first season in Jacksonville back in 2012. It stands to reason that Shurmur could join that list. The Giants are 1-7, and are totally out of control. There is a clear schism in the locker room with guys unhappy being there, and several players have already been kicked out. Not to mention, the Giants pass offense has been a complete and total disaster. From the offensive line's inability to block to Eli Manning's struggles and Odell Beckham's pouting, it's been a lot for Shurmur to handle. Perhaps the candle the broke the camels back was last week's Monday night game in Atlanta where Shurmur had Manning dive into the end zone on a quarterback sneak ... twice ... and failed ... twice. While it would be surprising to see the Mara's fire a coach after one year, if things continue to spiral out of control, who is to say it won't happen?
Jon Gruden, Oakland Raiders: 1-6 in return to the NFL.
I am sure Raider fans would love to see Chucky go back to ESPN at this point, but that isn't happening. Mark Davis gave Gruden a blank check for $100 million over the next ten years to re-shape the team in his image. He is doing just that by tearing apart a team that was 12-4 two years ago. Gruden will be back in 2019, but if the team continues to struggle, he won't see all 10-years of that deal.
Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys: 69-57 in nine seasons.
Captain Clap is once again on the hot seat. It has become an annual tradition to see Garrett on the hot seat only to have his boy Jerry Jones remove him from the seat by early January. The Cowboys are once again underachievers at 3-4, and no surprise the heat is on Garrett to turn it around, especially this year. The NFC East is mediocre and is ripe for the taking, but an inconsistent Dak Prescott, a banged up offensive line, and an overrated defense is going to keep this train moving toward 8-8 or 7-9. Perhaps then, and only then will Jones finally tire of the mediocrity in Big D.
Doug Marrone, Jacksonville Jaguars: 14-12 in two-plus seasons.
Not often a coach gets the ax a year removed from taking a team to the Conference Title game, but if things continue to go down hill for Jacksonville, Marrone is going to enter the conversation. Four Jaguars players were arrested this weekend in London for their involvement in a bar fight the day before the team was to play the Eagles. In addition there were reports last week of friction in the locker room because of the poor play of the offense, particularly that of quarterback Blake Bortles. There is a reason why Marrone wore out his welcome in Buffalo a couple years back, and it appears the same is happening in J-ville. If it keeps up, Tom Coughlin might have to look to his long list of disciples to find the next Jags head coach.
Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers: 7-17 in two seasons.
Serisouly nobody has come with more undeserving fanfare than Kyle Shanahan. Since the day he was hired by the 49ers, he has been dubbed as a genius who will take the Niners back to the promise land. In two seasons it hasn't worked out. A lot of the losing is attributed to the fact that the team can't function without Jimmy Garroppolo under center. When Garoppolo is under center, the Niners are 6-2. Without him they are 1-15. Ouch. Shanahan is probably going to get a mulligan for this season because of the freak injury to Garoppolo earlier this year, but make no mistake this guy is no genius as a head coach.
Dirk Koetter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 17-22 in three season.
If there is any coach that is defiantly getting canned after Hue Jackson it is Dirk Koetter. The Buccaneers have greatly underachieved since Koetter became the head coach. In a day and age of hiring offensive-minded coaches, Koetter has seen Jamies Winston's career come completely apart. A lot of that is Winston's own doing, but Koetter hasn't helped change the on-field performance of his quarterback, who is an interception waiting to happen. Winston's career as a starter in Tampa is probably over with the team going back to Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Bucs will need a new head coach and a new quarterback come 2019.
The question is, who is next on the NFL coach's hot seat?
Todd Bowles, New York Jets: Record: 23-34 in four seasons.
It is fair to say that Bowles is coaching for his job as the Jets enter the second half of the season at 3-5, the same exact record they had each of the last two seasons at this time of the year. In each of the last two seasons the Jets finished 5-11. A look at the remaining schedule it is hard to fathom the Jets finishing better than 6-10. Bowles has become notorious for his coaching gaffs, namely the team's lack of discipline, which was on full display Sunday when New York was called for seven pre-snap penalties, including one to start the game. On top of that he has been ultraconservative, i.e. his consistent decision to punt in crucial situations with his team down multiple scores, and his inability to get involved in the offensive game plan has been nothing short of troubling. The Jets amassed only 207 yards of offense against the Bears, the third worst output of the Bowles regime. The other two horrible efforts came last year against Denver and this season against Jacksonville. Bowles will likely finish the season, but the clock is ticking.
Pat Shurmur, New York Giants: Record: 1-7 in his first year.
Jon Gruden, Oakland Raiders: 1-6 in return to the NFL.
I am sure Raider fans would love to see Chucky go back to ESPN at this point, but that isn't happening. Mark Davis gave Gruden a blank check for $100 million over the next ten years to re-shape the team in his image. He is doing just that by tearing apart a team that was 12-4 two years ago. Gruden will be back in 2019, but if the team continues to struggle, he won't see all 10-years of that deal.
Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys: 69-57 in nine seasons.
Captain Clap is once again on the hot seat. It has become an annual tradition to see Garrett on the hot seat only to have his boy Jerry Jones remove him from the seat by early January. The Cowboys are once again underachievers at 3-4, and no surprise the heat is on Garrett to turn it around, especially this year. The NFC East is mediocre and is ripe for the taking, but an inconsistent Dak Prescott, a banged up offensive line, and an overrated defense is going to keep this train moving toward 8-8 or 7-9. Perhaps then, and only then will Jones finally tire of the mediocrity in Big D.
Doug Marrone, Jacksonville Jaguars: 14-12 in two-plus seasons.
Not often a coach gets the ax a year removed from taking a team to the Conference Title game, but if things continue to go down hill for Jacksonville, Marrone is going to enter the conversation. Four Jaguars players were arrested this weekend in London for their involvement in a bar fight the day before the team was to play the Eagles. In addition there were reports last week of friction in the locker room because of the poor play of the offense, particularly that of quarterback Blake Bortles. There is a reason why Marrone wore out his welcome in Buffalo a couple years back, and it appears the same is happening in J-ville. If it keeps up, Tom Coughlin might have to look to his long list of disciples to find the next Jags head coach.Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers: 7-17 in two seasons.
Serisouly nobody has come with more undeserving fanfare than Kyle Shanahan. Since the day he was hired by the 49ers, he has been dubbed as a genius who will take the Niners back to the promise land. In two seasons it hasn't worked out. A lot of the losing is attributed to the fact that the team can't function without Jimmy Garroppolo under center. When Garoppolo is under center, the Niners are 6-2. Without him they are 1-15. Ouch. Shanahan is probably going to get a mulligan for this season because of the freak injury to Garoppolo earlier this year, but make no mistake this guy is no genius as a head coach.
Dirk Koetter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 17-22 in three season.
If there is any coach that is defiantly getting canned after Hue Jackson it is Dirk Koetter. The Buccaneers have greatly underachieved since Koetter became the head coach. In a day and age of hiring offensive-minded coaches, Koetter has seen Jamies Winston's career come completely apart. A lot of that is Winston's own doing, but Koetter hasn't helped change the on-field performance of his quarterback, who is an interception waiting to happen. Winston's career as a starter in Tampa is probably over with the team going back to Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Bucs will need a new head coach and a new quarterback come 2019.
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