With each and every year, there’s bound to be a few head coaches and coordinators who aren’t able to hold their job titles through the offseason. Whether it’s an obscure off-the-field controversy, a repeated failure to deliver a win, or an outright lack of leadership, the point is that there is never any shortage of potential reasons or candidates for firings in January.
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According to one of NFL Network’s premier insiders, Tom Pelissero, there are no fewer than five head coaches whose futures are in “some level of doubt” heading into 2026. He also noted that “it isn’t any secret” as to who will likely be getting the boot this year, either, suggesting that the upcoming decisions will be driven off of recent results more so than anything else.
Citing Pete Carroll’s 2-14 record with the Las Vegas Raiders, Pelissero recalled that the head coach has “Fired two coordinators” and that the 2025 season “…has been a resoundingly disappointing season on a lot of different levels.” It may be heartbreaking to hear, but the reality of the situation seems to be that “Pete has been fighting to try to stay. He’s 74 years old… He does not want to have this be his last act in football. But there’s significant doubts surrounding his situation.”
If it’s of any consolation to Carroll, however, it doesn’t appear as if his neighbor in the AFC North is any safer. After six long years, it now looks like, according to Pelissero at least, that the Cleveland Browns are more interested in Shedeur Sanders than Kevin Stefanski.
The “progression” of Sanders will reportedly prompt Cleveland to look for a more QB-minded coach, and Stefanski’s losing record will give them the perfect excuse to go shopping for one. However, “They want to see the entire season through before making decisions, even though there’s been growth from Shedeur Sanders.”
Seeing as there’s also plenty of instability with teams such as the Arizona Cardinals, the Atlanta Falcons, and even the Indianapolis Colts, who once were being regarded as the de facto favorites to win the AFC Championship, Pelissero seems to suggest that there’s going to be a healthy amount of turnover throughout the coming weeks.
“Atlanta is the same thing; Arthur Blank has communicated there are no decisions until the end of the year, and now they’re winning and playing hard for Raheem Morris. You’ve also got teams like the Cardinals and the Colts struggling down the stretch with a mess of injuries, and that uncertainty extends to who the candidates are even going to be.”
We may not see a record-breaking amount of resumes being pulled, but according to Pelissero, it’s more than enough to suggest that the will to compete is as alive as it ever has been. It’s a good sign for fans who want more for their franchise; it’s just sobering to see former Super Bowl legends like Carroll appear on the chopping block.
