4. Dan Quinn, Washington Commanders
Dan Quinn is No. 4 in our power rankings. The Washington Commanders were 12-5 in his first year on the job back in 2024, but did a total 180 and were 5-12 this past season. Thanks to mounting injuries and a roster that just wasn't special, Washington turned into one of the worst teams in the sport.
And now for 2026, the roster isn't exactly in a great spot, as there are major offensive line concerns, and Jayden Daniels played in just seven games last year, so his availability might now be something that isn't a sure-fire thing.
While Quinn might not be the primary issue with the Commanders, the head coach is typically the first to go, and anything less than a playoff-caliber start might be enough for the front office to pull the plug, as they won't have Daniels on his rookie deal for much longer.
3. Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Todd Bowles has not won more than 10 games as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach, but he's not won fewer than eight contests. A clear high-floor, low-ceiling team, the 2026 season could be more of the same, but is that really the expectation?
No NFL team can continue to tolerate 8-10 win seasons with virtually zero playoff success, and Bowles is now set to enter his 10th season as a head coach in this league. At this point, Bowles is who he is. He's a below-average head coach with a very limited ceiling, and it nothing changes when 2026 gets underway, I don't see why he wouldn't be on the hot seat.
2. Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals
Having not made the playoffs since the 2022 season, this could be the year for Zac Taylor. It's not all his fault, though, as the front office really didn't field great teams in recent years, and their overall aversion to being aggressive has contributed to these non-playoff seasons.
With that said, the defense got a huge makeover this offseason, and this is how clearly the best roster Taylor has had. Anything less than a high-end start in 2026 could be far from enough, as Joe Burrow is a near-generational QB talent, and when you assess this roster overall, there really isn't anything missing.
Perhaps more than other teams in the league, the Bengals might truly have a playoff-or-bust mindset for 2026.
1. Aaron Glenn, New York Jets
Aaron Glenn won just three games in his first year as the New York Jets and largely seemed to be overwhelmed and in way over his head. While the Jets had downright horrific QB play last year, it was obvious that Glenn just didn't seem to ease into this role. The in-game decisions were brutal at times, and even his sparring with the media just felt off-putting.
The Jets did improve a good bit in the offseason, and while QB Geno Smith is far from special, he could at least be average. There does seem to be enough talent in place for the decision-makers to get an accurate read on whether Glenn can be a competent head coach in this league. If it's another slow start for the Jets, though, and things don't seem to be improving, he could be the first head coach who gets the axe during the season.
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