3 Coaches likely to be fired by the end of the year ft. Lovie Smith
Nabbing a head coaching gig in the NFL is a golden opportunity. Not only do they afford certain candidates life-changing money, but grabbing one of those vacancies can push a coach into the spotlight.
While the pros associated with the position are mouthwatering, the cons are well known. Viewed as the leader of men and the franchise's visionary, only a handful of coaches will be safe by the time the 2022-23 season ends.
Championship pedigree, longevity, and a winning record over the years will ensure that coaches such as Bill Belichick, Mike Tomlin, and Sean McVay have little to worry about. However, outside that trio, only a select few have job immunity.
So which NFL coaches will be forced to do their job on edge as the seat they currently sit upon warms until it's burning hot? Let's dive into it.
#1 - Frank Reich, Indianapolis Colts
At some point, the Indianapolis Colts will look squarely in Frank Reich's direction.
In four seasons, Reich has had the unwanted pleasure of coaching four different quarterbacks. But while those circumstances seem arduous to succeed under, Reich has had some of the better signal-callers in recent league history.
In 2018, Reich welcomed the return of Andrew Luck. Although their reunion would last only one entire season, Reich's Colts did end the year with 10 wins and a playoff berth.
The following season, however, Luck would hang up his cleats for good as the team's reins were handed to Jacoby Brissett.
One 7-9 season later, the Colts were on the search again. This time, they landed a seemingly first-ballot Hall of Famer, Philip Rivers. Once that partnership crashed and burned, the Colts attempted to nurse the discombobulated career of Carson Wentz.
With Indianapolis hoping that the newly acquired Matt Ryan will be the end all be all for their quarterback woes, Reich has to put it all together. At no point, despite having a handful of talented quarterbacks, have the Colts been viewed as Super Bowl contenders. If Reich doesn't get it right this time, Indianapolis could show him the door after the season.
#2 - Lovie Smith, Houston Texans
Seemingly on a whim, the Houston Texans sifted through the highly regarded credentials of Lovie Smith. With the franchise currently entrenched in perpetual Deshaun Watson legal drama, they believed that a leader of the highest order could turn their franchise around. Enter Lovie Smith.
Although Smith hasn't sat in a head coaching chair for nearly a decade, he does have several highly successful seasons under his belt. In Chicago, Smith was dealt a rough hand. With the franchise desperate for stability, Smith provided it, going on a three-year stretch of double-digit victories.
Despite his success, Smith was eventually let go, even after aggregating 10 wins in his final season. As a Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach, Smith saw his teams crater, winning just eight games in two seasons.
Although Smith was all smiles as he was handed the job in Houston, his overall roster is putrid. Without the services of Deshaun Watson, Houston struggled all season long, winning only a handful of games.
For Smith, the newly installed coach hopes his current bunch will be docile in year one. However, even if Houston's roster bends over backward and acquiesces to every single one of his demands, wins will come few and far between, leading to a brief head coaching run for Smith.
#3 - Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys
The bright lights, perpetual exposure, and consistent need to fill the airwaves with nonsensical Dallas Cowboys news have left head coach Mike McCarthy seemingly out of his element.
Normally soft-spoken, McCarthy claimed to be a new man after watching the NFL action from the sidelines in 2019. Feeling reinvigorated and humbled, McCarthy was given a second chance by the Dallas Cowboys.
In year one, 2020, McCarthy did a horrific job, leading them to a 6-10 record. To his credit, McCarthy flipped the script this past season, racking up a record of 12-5. But while that would seemingly be enough to keep his job secure, rumors have swirled of McCarthy being shown the door in favor of recently semi-retired coach Sean Payton.
Throughout McCarthy's brief Dallas tenure, the former Super Bowl-winning head coach has been castigated for his poor clock management and inability to adjust on the fly.
Currently, Dallas are in search of stability and a championship culture. Over the past 12 seasons, the franchise has won double-digit games on just four occasions. If Dallas have another down regular season or fail to advance past the first round, McCarthy will quickly find himself unemployed.