The Pressure Meter: Head Coaches

As is the case going into any season, certain coaches find themselves in the hot seat much more than others. While Mike Macdonald might be comfortable having just won a Super Bowl in his second year in Seattle, time is running out quickly for others to prove why they’re the right man for the job.

There is no doubt that if they aren’t already, certain fanbases will be calling for heads within a few weeks if their team’s get off to a sluggish start. But just who might those fanbases and heads be? Whether they oversee a contender failing to take the final leap, or a lowly team that has been rebuilding a little bit too long, Preme Football have determined the 5 head coaches who find themselves under the brightest spotlight ahead of 2026.

Honourable Mentions: Jesse Minter & Mike McCarthy

Before you drive off the road, Steelers and Ravens fans, hear us out. While neither of these coaches’ jobs will be under any pressure this season, they are replacing long-term, Super Bowl-winning coaches, who always had their teams in contention. McCarthy reunites with Aaron Rodgers (who defeated the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV), as Pittsburgh look to make one last playoff push in what shapes as Rodgers’ final year, before likely conceding to a rebuild from 2027 onwards. On the other hand, Minter returns to Baltimore, where he served as a defensive coach for a few years, having been in several roles between college football in the NFL over the past 20 years. Baltimore fans have felt aggrieved seeing former defensive co-ordinator Mike Macdonald’s immediate success in Seattle, with many believing the team should have fired John Harbaugh earlier to allow Macdonald to be his successor. As a result, there is an immediate focus on whether Minter can have a similarly instant impact and keep the Ravens in contention, with his core group of superstars beginning to age.

5. Aaron Glenn

Though this is just Glenn’s 2^nd season, the New York Jets have shown no hesitation in firing head coaches in the past decade, with Todd Bowles, Adam Gase and Robert Saleh falling victim. While very few are expecting the Jets to improve significantly with regards to the win column, Glenn must at least prove that he has the team on the right path. Adding to this pressure is the rise out-of-nowhere from their AFC East rival, New England, in 2025. Having missed out on last season’s 1^st overall pick, and subsequently Fernando Mendoza, the Jets will not replicate that feat this year, but it is certainly proof that 11 seasons since totalling 8 or more regular season wins is far too long. 6 wins should be a realistic target for Glenn and his team and would assure Jets fans that the team is (finally) on the right path as they continue the everlasting rebuild. David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr. will compliment their existing pieces and build the foundations for the future.

4. Dan Quinn

Quinn was rightfully given genuine excuses last season with Jayden Daniels missing 11 total games, but it is worth nothing that prior to Daniels’ season-ending injury against Seattle, the team sat at a record of 3-6 and had shown major regression, after making the NFC Championship Game in Quinn and Daniels’ first seasons in Washington. Most intriguing about the Commanders’ 2025 season, despite Quinn’s background as a defensive co-ordinator, was the team’s horrendous defense, ranked in the bottom 6 in the NFL for points against. Admittedly, very few defensive foundations had been laid prior to Quinn’s arrival. But now in his 3^rd season, with the team hiring new defensive co-ordinator Daronte Jones, selecting Sonny Styles 7^th overall, and making many other acquisitions, it’s time for this unit to show significant improvement. Quinn’s seat begins at lukewarm heading into the year, and with Daniels returning to full health to start in week 1, the team should have their sights set on at least making the playoffs, to prove that 2024 was no fluke.

3. Todd Bowles

This is now Bowles’ 5^th season as head coach of Tampa Bay, and while he’s kept them around the playoff mark consistently since taking over from Bruce Arians, they haven’t gotten over the hump to become true contenders during his reign. The team finished 3^rd in the NFC South in unfortunate circumstances in 2025 but remain bullish that they can return to the top and put themselves in a position to genuinely compete deep into the playoffs. The Buccs committed to defense with their draft selections, in hopes that Reuben Bain Jr. and Josiah Trotter can live up to the hype. While Baker Mayfield has revived his career in Tampa Bay, he turned 31 this offseason and it remains to be seen how many years left he has as the starting quarterback on a team with Super Bowl aspirations. Already having lost 3 long-time superstars (Mike Evans, Lavonte David, Jamel Dean) this offseason, another season of regression may accelerate the decision to move on from Bowles as the head coach and commit to a full rebuild.

2. Shane Steichen

It would almost be an understatement to say that the first 3 years of the Steichen era, which begun in concert with the drafting of Anthony Richardson, in Indianapolis haven’t gone to plan. The team have put together seasons of 9, 8 and 8 wins, in order, under Steichen, and another stagnant year could very well see his departure. Daniel Jones had the team humming atop the AFC South before suffering a heartbreaking, season-ending achilles tear in week 14, whereafter the team lost 5 games in a row to end the season, missing the playoffs altogether. The Colts lost Michael Pittman Jr. to Pittsburgh over the offseason, but replaced him with veteran Keenan Allen, and with Jones back to full health, the time is now for Steichen, who has 3 years left to run on his contract, to take this team back to the playoffs, with anything less likely signalling the end of his tenure. As for Anthony Richardson, it’s become hard to see a clear future, after failing to get the trade he wished for over the offseason.

1. Zac Taylor

This one’s obvious. Despite leading the team to an unlikely berth in Super Bowl LVI, it’s now been 3 successive years without playoff action in Cincinnati, despite one of the most talented rosters league wide. Joe Burrow’s luckless run with repeated injuries during that time has gotten Taylor just off the hook, but many Bengals fans were surprised to see him remain with the team at the conclusion of 2025. Another excuse for Taylor that will no longer slide this season is the Bengals’ supposed lack of defensive talent. The team’s front office went all out to acquire Dexter Lawrence II, Jonathan Allen and Boye Mafe, as well as continued development of young pieces, into whom a lot of draft capital was invested into. There is now no reason for this unit to not be at least league average to go with what should be a top 5 offense. Despite his contract running through 2027, this fuse will be very, very short, and if the team gets off to a slow start, don’t be surprised if he’s the first casualty of 2026.

Which head coach do you think finds themselves the most in the gun heading into this season?