2015 NFL head-coaching vacancies

Predict which NFL teams will have head-coaching vacancies in 2015.

Here are my predictions, including a surprise prediction. I encourage you to make a surprise prediction, too.

1. Atlanta Falcons

2. Dallas Cowboys

3. Miami Dolphins

4. New York Jets

5. Oakland Raiders

6. St. Louis Rams

Surprise prediction: Green Bay Packers

 

 

This article has 46 Comments

  1. 1. Cincinnati Bengals
    2. Dallas Cowgirls
    3. Oakland Raiders
    4. NY Giants
    5. Pittsburgh Steelers
    6. Denver Broncos
    Surprise pick: San Francisco 49ers

    1. Interesting picks. Fox could get scapegoated if the Broncos don’t win it all. The Steelers definitely could miss the playoffs.

      1. If Denver’s defense doesn’t improve significantly they’ll be in trouble this season. Every team that plays them is going to pull up the SB and figure out what they did to stop them. Manning is truly great but he’s also predictable and he’s become more so the older he’s gotten. They’ll need their defense to keep games closer this year because that offense isn’t going to be as successful. However if the defense isn’t a lot better then I expect they’ll still make the playoffs but will be an early round exit and the blame, rightfully so, will be put on Fox who is supposed to be a defensive minded coach.

        The only reason Tomlin still has a job is because the man signing the check has Rooney for a surname. Being dedicated to your coach is a nice throw back type philosophy but Tomlin should have been canned by now. The team has fallen apart and although age has certainly been a part of it that only begs the question of why didn’t they have younger players being developed. That is a failure of the head coach and it’s time Tomlin was held accountable.

        1. Does Jim Harbaugh look like a younger Marlon Brando or what? See
          the pic of the younger Brando in the book section of this weekend’s Wall
          Street Journal and make the call. What a resemblance!

      2. Grant, I remember watching the John ElwayJohn Fox press conference after the SB. Fox seemed very nervous and I assumed he would lose his job. So not surprised this might happen.

    2. Niners win the SB and Baalke still trades Harbaugh to the Brownies for their 1st & 2nd round pick for the next 3 years.

    3. I’m quite surprised that no one else put the Bengals on their list. Lewis has been there since 2003 and is .511 overall. His contract is up at the end of the 2014 season. There’s no question that the Bengals have to at the very very least play well in their Championship Game or make it to the Super Bowl for Lewis to get another extension.

      Now with that said, we are talking about one of the worst owners in the league and you cant rely on Mike Brown to actually make a sensible decision.

  2. You would have put the Rams even if they had just inked him to a 10 year 100 million dollar contract. That was a personal pick. ;)

    1. Maybe now that he has Gregg Williams the defense will get on track. The offense is hopeless, though.

  3. I predict that Greg Roman won’t gett a head coach position, but will take a wild guess he will be the next head coach at Cal

  4. Dallas – Because its Jerry Jones. I don’t even know who their coach is.
    NY Jets – Its time. NYC doesn’t like to be kept waiting.

    Surprise Vacancy, San Francisco – Harbaugh fields a well prepared team… but the schedule is a meat grinder. No guarantee Bowman will return to his old form. Aldon will miss some early games too.

    Unless the offense comes out blazing, expect the 49ers to drop a few games early. This means road playoffs and a higher possibility not winning the SB. A cranky York is a dangerous thing and Harbaugh will be extremely sought after.

    Surprise non-vacancy, Oakland – I like their draft. Their FAs will fill in just well enough to keep their coach employed.

    1. @B2 W

      I agree on both SF and Oakland; I don’t think that there will be a line outside Harbaugh’s door….

    2. Geez Mr Downer, who peed in your cornflakes? No guarantee on Bowman, expect the 49ers to drop a few games early? What kinda crap is that to be spouting before training camp even starts? I assume you’re a glass half empty kinda guy but you’re way off on that prediction. Tough schedule or not, this team has the moxie to fight and win on the road, even without Bowman and Aldon. Go Niners!

      1. Bar None,

        You’ve got to let people have their opinions good or bad. It would be pretty boring around here if we all agreed on everything. Brodie makes some good points on things that could go negatively, but hopefully the depth this team has and the changes they make will make up for it.

        1. No way in hell they lose the opener. Next on the menu is Cutler Hines, piece of cake. The next five games begin with a war like mentality, backed up by physicality. Unlike Wilson, you do not need a GPS to find Carson Palmer, so I think the 49ers can prevail, and the next four games are against less physical teams in my opinion….

          1. Razor, I think you’re right. I think NFL defenses will be expecting the Niner offense from last year and will be shocked to find themselves three scores behind before they have a chance to adjust. Then our surging defense, led by a maniacal P Willy will stuff any chance of a comeback. Niners hit their bye week leading the division by 2 games.

      2. Harbaugh was my “Surprise” vacancy. I’m wasn’t predicting he’ll be replaced. Just saying there’s a chance when you think about management’s lofty expectations and high demand for Harbaugh’s services elsewhere. He’d cash in big time.

        I’m wasn’t predicting the 49ers season either, hence “Unless the offense comes out blazing.” That just might happen. The WR corp is the deepest in years, CK is a year more experienced and the underrated Hunter is now seems fully recovered.

        I tend to be an optimist. I stuck my neck out and predicted new coach Jim Harbaugh would be 10-6 and make the playoffs before the 2011 season and why on sfgate (they deleted my old entries). I also predicted Super bowls before the 2012-13 season.

        As for Bowman, I think he’ll play this season, but not at 100%. It’s reasonable to expect him to take until 2015 to come into full form.

  5. Very interesting topic, your GB “surprise” pick is on the mark. For those saying Pitt, I would agree except for the Rooney factor. They really don’t like firing coaches. Mike Smith’s chair is pretty warm, but I have a feeling that ATL will bounce back and he stays. Rex is also a very good pick, since their expectations are much higher this season and I don’t think they will do much better than last season. The Cowboys should have never hired Garrett in the first place, and should have already fired him, but you never know how Jerry’s ego will interfere with rational thinking. Philbin also should have already been fired (and not hired in the first place), so that is a good pick. I don’t know which guy will get it, but my surprise pick would be one of the first year head coaches. The way the league is going, instant results are often expected and in several cases these expectations are very unrealistic.

    Bonus prediction: Harbaugh gets extended in the next few weeks and stays with the Niners through the decade.

  6. 1. Miami
    2. Jets
    3. Raiders
    4. Falcons

    Rams will get rid of “Little Schottzie” before they fire Jeff.

    5. Cowboys, although it will be difficult to believe that Jerry will fire himself as HC and GM.

  7. > Guys, we can’t leave Cleveland off that list, they may fire more than one guy.
    > NYJ. Rex and the GM aren’t married to each other; no allegiance.
    > NYG. Father Time, but still almost a surprise.
    > If Oak shows improvement they might not switch but Coach shouldn’t re-fi his house.
    > MIA (pun intended). HC sucks. Owner is a moron. ( DAL. Next sock puppet up.
    —————————————————-
    # I don’t see GB or SF in that mix, but I wish I had a dime for every time I’ve said”Didn’t see that coming!”
    # Fischer seems doubtful to me too, but………

    1. 2Bro tuna

      I don’t think that Jeff Fisher will ever get fired after the purgatory he went thru with the ownership of the Oilers and the Titans.

  8. Bold predictions all, fer sure! .. but here’s one even bolder ..

    Chuckie returns to the silver n black (2015) … in time
    to bring his team to Levi’s Stadium for Super Bowl 50 ..

    The bad news for them is ..
    CK7 will be MVP of that game !

    1. Oakland vs the 49er’s in Superbowl 50 interrupted by an earthquake at half time.

  9. I would agree with all those except I don’t think McCarthy would be a surprise. Without Rodgers the Packers would not win more than 6 games.
    He has struggled in a weak division and has never gotten his defense to play better. Too much loyalty to Dom Capers. He should have fired him after he let CK dance all over them the 1st playoff game.

  10. GB is on the verge of naming a street after McCarthy like they have with other HC’s in their history. I don’t think he’s in any danger, and I can’t see the Packers playing bad enough to warrant any consideration for it.

    I could see Harbaugh as a candidate for the list if the Niners fall off this year and Harbaugh insists on getting paid like a SB Champion HC, but I don’t think it will come to that. I think Harbaugh signs an extension after the season.

    Teams that could have new HC’s in 2015 imo:

    Jets – Rex is year to year right now

    Cowboys – When he sees his team finish with 7 or 8 wins yet again, Jerry will finally pull the trigger on Garrett, even though Jerry is most responsible for the ineptitude.

    Dolphins – Another owner who really doesn’t have a clue and will blame the HC for the failures the front office saddled him with.

    Raiders – Mark Davis wants to see progress and another 4 or 5 win season will not be enough.

    Giants – Another poor season mayy be enough for Coughlin to move into retirement.

    Falcons – I’ve never been a fan of Mike Smith as he consistently has made poor decisions and been outcoached in big games. If they don’t make a big comeback this season I could see the team moving on from him and giving the job to the OC.

    Panthers – Not really fair to put Rivera here when the team has been gutted by the GM, but that is the reality of the job.

  11. Atlanta-mike smith struggles to find an identiy for another talented team. Agree or Disagree?

    Denver-not a surprise after they got wooped in the superbowl. There offense is no match for anyone in the nfc when it comes to playoff teams. Agree?

    Pittsburg-just not good enough to tale on that division. Big ben cant do it alone.

    Rams-i see a great defense being built here starting with that line, too tough of a division though. I see a mike Singletary situation here, dont you?

    Eagles-i can see Nick Foles regressing and chip kelley struggling with that offense without Jackson and his sub par receiving corp.

    Anyone like to discuss this list?

  12. Raiders
    Dallas
    Jets
    Surprise: San Francisco (I hope not, but looks like the Yorks are up to their silly games again)

  13. Tebow-mania was even worse than “Johnny Beiber-mania”, but Tim is a Holy Roller so no compromising photos came out. There’s one on PFT from Vegas that could be hard to explain.

    1. I don’t see what the big deal is. Clearly while he was walking into the bathroom with his drink someone bumped him and his straw fell out.

    1. Pete Carrol, is a lock as head coach. Bill is a lock. Can not fire John Harbaugh.

  14. 1. Miami Dolphins
    2. Clevland Browns
    3. Oakland Raiders
    4. New York Jets
    5. New York Giants
    6. Dallas Cowboys
    7. Carolina Panthers
    8. Atlanta Falcons
    9. St. Louis Rams

    My surprise pick: San Francisco 49ers

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