The 2026 NFL season is so close, yet so far away.
Teams around the league have finished up OTAs and mandatory minicamp, and now the grind begins as fans wait for teams to report back in July for training camp. Then, the fun really begins.
Until that time, the best thing we can do to scratch the itch is make predictions. And as we make predictions for the 2026 season, it's interesting to think about which teams might have head coaches on the hot seat, and just how hot that seat really is.
We're going to take a look at one coach from every division in the AFC that might be entering this upcoming season with pressure to perform...or else.
2026 NFL Predictions: One AFC head coach on the hot seat from each division
AFC West: Klint Kubiak, Raiders
Heat level: Ice cold
Since we are picking one coach from each division, the only coach from the AFC West that makes any sense at all is Klint Kubiak of the Raiders. It's not impossible to think Kubiak could be one and done if the Raiders are a complete disaster this season, but it is nearly impossible to think that any of the Broncos, Chargers, or Chiefs could fire their coaches this coming season.
Those are all veteran guys with comfortable contracts at this point. Their history speaks for itself.
Kubiak's seat, therefore, is still ice cold. The Raiders should be willing to be patient with him, so in reality, his seat won't even heat up until 2027 at the earliest.
AFC South: Shane Steichen, Colts
Heat level: Accidentally turned the seat heater on in the Summer (uncomfortably hot)
If you are looking for an AFC coach who is firmly on the hot seat in 2026, it's got to be Shane Steichen. The Colts could have probably justified moving on from him after the 2025 season, but the injury to Daniel Jones prevented them from making a knee-jerk decision.
Still, this is a make-or-break year for Steichen with the Colts. As in, make the playoffs, or else. And even simply making the playoffs might not be enough.
The Colts have yet to make a postseason appearance under Steichen, whose job as an offensive coordinator is not in question. He knows how to call plays. He knows how to set guys up for success on that side of the ball. But even considering the injury to Daniel Jones, Steichen is going to need to win this year to keep his job, or he'll be on the market next offseason.
AFC North: Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals
Heat level: Stuck in your seat on an airplane cross-country
The entire AFC North made head coach changes in the 2026 offseason, except the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Bengals appear to be giving Zac Taylor the benefit of the doubt due to injuries on the team, but with talks of this being the best Bengals team in a while, the pressure is definitely going to be on.
Taylor's seat is hot in the same way a seat gets uncomfortable and warm after hours of sitting down. Think sitting in your seat on an airplane for a long period of time. It's almost like the leather starts to mold to your skin a bit, your back is hot, and after a couple of hours, the seconds seem like minutes and the minutes seem unbearable.
Taylor is about at that point with the Bengals. This is a team that has one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and they haven't made a postseason appearance since the 2022 season. If they miss the postseason again in 2026, Taylor is likely gone.
AFC East: Aaron Glenn, New York Jets
Heat level: Just sat down in a chair someone else was sitting in for a long time
Part of the problem with the New York Jets' job is the fact that every head coach seems to get judged based on the failures of coaches that have come before them.
Aaron Glenn is no different.
Especially after the New York Knicks won the NBA Finals, fans of the Jets are going to be absolutely foaming at the mouth for this team to have some measure of success. The team has been significantly hyping up Geno Smith this offseason, which is something they are doing at their own peril.
The problem with the Jets job is exactly what we're looking at in 2026. Glenn is entering just his second season, he doesn't have a long-term option at quarterback, and he might not be around in 2027 if the team falters again. That's not really a fair situation.
He's going to need to show major signs of progress this year to be around for whatever QB era begins for this team in 2027.
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