Through two weeks, several seats are heating up

Published September 27, 2026 10:14 AM The NFL means plenty of things, from No Fun League to Not For Long. That’s never been more true for coaches.Last year, 10 of 32 jobs became open. Whatever the number this time around, the number will be closer to nine than none.Through two weeks, more than a few seats are getting hot. Or, as the case may be, hotter.We’ll start with Colts coach Shane Steichen, mainly because of what team owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon said after the 2025 season ended: “We have been very clear with [G.M.] Chris [Ballard] and Shane that giving them another opportunity means that the sense of urgency for them to deliver and perform has never been higher.”So far, the Colts are winless. The defense has given up more than 500 yards in each of the first two games. Obviously, something needs to change or there will be a housecleaning in Indianapolis. Next on the list is Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles. Since starting 2025 with a 6-2 record, the Buccaneers are 2-11. Imagine the angst in the Glazer suite last week while they had to sit there and wait two hours for the likely loss to the lowly Browns to become official. A turnaround is a must.Jets coach Aaron Glenn wasn’t one-and-done after 2025, in part due to a buyout that would have exceeded $40 million. The season started with a suffocation of the Titans and former Jets coach Robert Saleh. In Week 2, a blown 10-point lead, widely-criticized late-game clock management, and a decision to receive the opening kickoff of overtime have increased the pressure on Glenn to do more this year than he did last year.Things are looking grim for Dan Quinn in D.C. For some, it’s already become a given that Quinn will be gone after his third season — especially if it’s another 5-12 showing, or worse. The latest Jayden Daniels dislocated left elbow likely won’t buy Quinn a mulligan.Packers coach Matt LaFleur is facing an uprising in the land of beef and cheese. Yes, he got an extension after the 2025 season. But he wouldn’t be the first coach who received a new contract one offseason and a pink slip the next.Lastly, we’ll mention Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh. He made the playoffs in each of his first two years on the job. This year, however, has started in disastrous fashion. He has two years left on his five-year, $80 million contract after 2026; the buyout could buy him one more year. It all comes down to whether the Chargers play dramatically better than they did against two teams that combined in 2025 for a record of 6-28.Any, some, or all of the coaches listed above could turn things around. After all, 15 games remain. And other coaches who are currently safe could end up in hot water as the season unfolds.Either way, it makes sense to be watching the situation closely, because the NFL head-coaching industry has proven to be a high-turnover business. And, as former Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon acknowledged once it became clear he was on the hot seat in 2025, it’s the business they’ve chosen.