The NFL begins this week, and from the 32 teams in the league, almost a third (10) will have a new head coach, with six taking charge for the first time: Joe Brady in Buffalo, Jesse Minter in Baltimore, Klint Kubiak in Las Vegas, Todd Monken in Cleveland, Jeff Hafley in Miami, and Mike LaFleur in Arizona.
Including the six coaches hired in 2025, half of the league now features leaders with less than two seasons at the helm, making it clear that NFL owners are constantly hunting for immediate success, a notoriously difficult feat in professional football.
The Long-Tenured Elite and Zac Taylor’s Rising Pressure in Cincinnati
For the upcoming campaign, only five coaches have remained with the same franchise for more than six seasons: Andy Reid (signed in 2013), Sean McVay (2017), Kyle Shanahan (2019), Matt LaFleur (2019), and Zac Taylor (2019).
Among this exclusive group of five long-tenured skippers, every single one except Green Bay’s Matt LaFleur has reached a Super Bowl, with McVay and Reid capturing championships.
Out of these veterans, the man most firmly planted on the hot seat is unquestionably Cincinnati’s Zac Taylor. He enters the year mired in a three-season playoff drought, having managed just two postseason appearances across his seven years at the helm.
Even with a Super Bowl appearance back in the 2021 season, Taylor would likely face dismissal if he fails to secure a playoff berth this year. Falling short, or even suffering a quick “one and done” exit, would be a tough pill to swallow for an organization boasting Joe Burrow in his prime and an elite offensive supporting cast.
Hot Seat Skippers: Aaron Glenn and Shane Steichen Face Decisive Years
Beyond Taylor, several other head coaches find themselves walking a tightrope heading into 2026 despite the league’s widespread trend toward patience with first- and second-year hires.
- Aaron Glenn (New York Jets): Glenn’s debut campaign was a struggle resulting in a 3-14 record, and the outlook for 2026 presents steep hurdles with veteran signal-caller Geno Smith under center. The Jets currently shoulder the longest active postseason drought in the NFL at 15 seasons, meaning another sub-five-win campaign could easily prompt owner Woody Johnson to pull the plug.
- Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts): Steichen kicks off his fourth year running the sideline in Indy. While his year-by-year records of 9-8, 8-9, and 8-9 look relatively stable on paper, a painful collapse featuring seven consecutive losses following their bye week last season severely damaged that goodwill. With the Colts mired in a five-year playoff drought and banking heavily on Daniel Jones, another losing campaign could force the front office to make a dramatic change at the top.
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