With eight days remaining in the 2024 NFL regular season, nine playoff spots have been wrapped up, and just 10 teams remain alive for the other five. That means 13 teams already have been eliminated, many with significant questions hanging over them entering the 2025 offseason.
Here's a snapshot look at some of the NFL's hot seats and plans for three jobs that are open already, based on conversations with numerous NFL sources:
Las Vegas Raiders
Despite the celebratory scene in the locker room following a Week 16 win over the Jaguars, the belief in league circles continues to be that Antonio Pierce's future as the Raiders' head coach is in serious doubt.
Owner Mark Davis' public comments at the December League Meeting suggested he’ll wait to evaluate until after the season ends. And perhaps, if the team has another stirring win like Sunday's, Davis could ride the wave of positivity. Nothing has been finalized.
But new minority owner Tom Brady, whom Davis has made clear he'll rely on heavily, is not accustomed to being associated with a 3-12 season and has sought input on how to turn things around. The team's biggest star, Maxx Crosby, who has said he wants to be a Raider for life, badly wants to win and will be watching closely in the coming weeks to see what efforts are made to accomplish that. Davis himself hates losing, too, and his team has done a lot of it.
In Pierce's defence, the Raiders had significant personnel challenges this year, namely the combination of Gardner Minshew, Aidan O'Connell and Desmond Ridder at quarterback. Pierce had limited coaching experience prior to last year's interim turn and realistically was going to need time to grow into the role. But he raised eyebrows in the locker room by calling out players for making "business decisions" in Week 3 before eventually apologizing; the Raiders beat the lowly Browns in the following game but then lost their next 10 in a row. Of the three players -- Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs and Crosby -- who Davis leaned on while deciding to fire former head coach Josh McDaniels last season and eventually keep Pierce, only Crosby remains.
If Pierce gets a second season, he'll have a lot of work to do with staff. He fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy in early November, in addition to his quarterbacks and offensive line coaches -- the three most important positions on the offensive staff. And sources say defensive coordinator Patrick Graham turned down a contract extension last offseason, making him a free agent. Interim OC Scott Turner would be a strong candidate for the full-time OC job.
New York Giants
The Giants enter Sunday’s game against the Colts on a 10-game losing streak, ranked dead last in scoring (14.3 points per game) and two losses away from the franchise's worst record since 1966 when they went 1-12-1 -- all of which has raised questions about the futures of head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen.
Giants president and CEO John Mara believes both men are highly capable. He remembers just two years ago when Daboll and Schoen were the toast of the town and the Giants won a playoff game at Minnesota during Super Wild Card Weekend. Even this season could have gone differently if they'd finished games early, before injuries struck, the losses mounted, and the team released quarterback Daniel Jones after he was benched in November.
The prevailing sense in league circles is that Mara doesn't want to make changes. He said as much in October when the Giants were 2-5, telling reporters attending the premiere of an NFL Films piece on his father that Wellington Mara preached patience -- but the Giants haven't won a game since those comments.
Mara isn't deaf to fan frustration, evidenced by recent crowds and planes flying banners overhead urging him to "fire everyone." But he ultimately must do the right thing for the Giants, not the environment surrounding them.
While Schoen and Daboll were hired the same year from the same team in Buffalo, they aren't necessarily a package deal. Mara evaluates the entire football operation when each season ends, and his head coach and GM will be evaluated on their own merits.
With two more losses, the Giants would finish 2-15. They also would own the No. 1 overall pick for the first time. Are Daboll and Schoen the right men for such a pivotal moment in Giants history? That's the weight of the decision facing Mara, and he hasn't made it yet.
Jacksonville Jaguars
There has been mostly silence out of Jacksonville since a flurry of reports last month that the franchise could make major changes, including moving on from head coach Doug Pederson and/or general manager Trent Baalke.
Inside the building, there is still a sense that major change is coming. Owner Shad Khan is deliberate. He is known to not engage on potential candidates unless and until he has a vacancy. But it's hard to envision status quo after Khan's preseason statement that this was the "best team assembled" in franchise history was followed by immense disappointment: a 3-12 record, including 2-9 in one-score games and one-sided losses to two of the NFL's elite teams (47-10 at Buffalo and 52-6 at Detroit).
Pederson is a Super Bowl-winning coach who led the Jaguars to a 9-8 record in his first two seasons, including a playoff win in 2022. This isn't all on him. Starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence struggled before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery, and the Jaguars were slow to pick up a new defensive scheme under coordinator Ryan Nielsen, who was brought in this past offseason.
For now, it's business as usual. Just a few weeks ago, Baalke was heavily involved in the Jaguars' big-money extension with offensive tackle Walker Little -- a deal some viewed as a sign Baalke could be sticking around.
The decision is in Khan's hands. The next two games -- home Sunday against the Titans, then at Indianapolis in Week 18 -- might give him a final read on how to proceed.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys find themselves in an unusual situation, though not one unprecedented in Dallas: Head coach Mike McCarthy and most of his assistants all have contracts that expire after the season.
After the 2014 season, Jason Garrett's contract expired before the Cowboys signed him to a new five-year deal, as well as retaining his coordinators. Five years later, Garrett's contract expired again, and after several days in limbo, the team announced it would not retain him.
The big difference between McCarthy and Garrett is that McCarthy -- a Super Bowl champion in Green Bay who has a .612 career winning percentage, including a 49-33 mark in Dallas -- may well have other head coaching opportunities upon hitting free agency, with teams that have interviewed him before (Jets) and previous employers (Saints) already having vacancies. If another team calls, McCarthy would be free to consider his options, regardless of whether Jones wants him to return.
There have been no substantive talks yet about an extension for McCarthy in Dallas. But owner Jerry Jones has been increasingly effusive in his praise of McCarthy amidst of a rash of injuries, saying after the team beat the Bucs and improved to 7-8 last week: "I can't tell you how proud I am of the way the coaching staff, led by Mike McCarthy, the way that the leadership on this team, and really proud of these young players. They just are growing mentally and physically by leaps and bounds, makes me think we've got and outstanding future ahead of us."
Coordinators Brian Schottenheimer, Mike Zimmer and John Fassel also have expiring contracts, sources say. One more reason for Jones to act decisively upon the conclusion of the season next weekend with a head coach he clearly holds in high regard.
New England Patriots
Patriots owner Robert Kraft spent years preparing for Jerod Mayo to be Bill Belichick's successor, even writing it into Mayo's contract. Barring some type of calamity over the final two games of the campaign, the expectation is Kraft gives Mayo another season to prove him right.
The team was competitive in last week’s loss at Buffalo, taking one of the NFL's best teams to the brink, though the eventual defeat dropped the Patriots to 3-12. And realistically, the Pats were always going to face an uphill battle this season from a personnel perspective. (Belichick, who led New England to six Super Bowl rings, went 4-13 last season with many of the same players.) The Patriots believe they've found their franchise QB with 2024 No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye -- now they have to spend this offseason upgrading around him. And they'll have plenty of cash to do it as they're currently projected to have the most salary-cap space in the league next offseason, per Over The Cap.
Assuming Mayo gets a second season, the focus will turn to the offensive staff, which was thrust in the spotlight by a viral lip-reading video of the Krafts earlier this month. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt is generally well-regarded. But the offense hasn't played consistently this season, so some type of changes are expected. The question is, would an OC change stunt the growth of a potential star QB?
Tennessee Titans
It has been a trying season for the Titans, with a string of close early losses, underwhelming (and at times confounding) quarterback play and a 3-12 record entering Sunday’s game at Jacksonville. But first-year head coach Brian Callahan and the bulk of his staff are expected to return.
Internally, there is a feeling Callahan has shown long-term promise and the team has improved; the expectation next season is that that'll be reflected more on the field and the scoreboard. Fixing the QB position -- former second-round pick Will Levis was benched in December -- is Job No. 1.
The Titans have other issues, too, including fixing a special teams unit that was a major liability early in the season. Some staff changes are possible.
Cleveland Browns
Despite a stunning slide to 3-12 this season, the Browns have no plans to move on from two-time NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski.
The priority in the offseason will be centered around the quarterback position, where Deshaun Watson has two years and $92 million remaining on his fully guaranteed contract as he rehabs from a torn Achilles. While his recently adjusted deal confirms he'll return to Cleveland in 2025, the team will bring in competition in the form of a younger player or veteran for him, since neither Jameis Winston nor Dorian Thompson-Robinson have capitalized on their opportunities since the injury.
Other staff changes are possible. Mike Vrabel -- who joined the Browns as a coaching and personnel consultant after he was fired by the Titans this past offseason -- effectively became the offensive line coach, leaving a void in the likely event he lands elsewhere in this cycle. Similar to Crosby, superstar pass rusher Myles Garrett has said he wants to learn the team's plan before committing to Cleveland, so he'll be watching closely, as well.
New York Jets
The Jets were the first team this season to fire their head coach (Robert Saleh on Oct. 8) and thus far are the only team to fire their general manager (Joe Douglas on Nov. 19). The status of four-time NFL MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is 41 and only recently has begun to look something like his old self following Achilles surgery, also remains in flux.
The team hired a first-year head coach and a first-year GM last time, and this time figure to go for experience in at least one of the spots. Because of the talent base, the interest in the position is expected to be significant, even with a major QB question looming.
Owner Woody Johnson is conducting the search with help from consultants, including former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum and former Vikings GM Rick Spielman, who also helped the Commanders with their search a year ago.
After interviewing three GM candidates -- former Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff, former Titans GM Jon Robinson and Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy -- last week, the Jets took a break for the holidays. It's not a given they'll hire the GM before the head coach; no currently employed coaches or executives can interview for the job until after the regular season ends.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints have begun gathering background on candidates to replace former head coach Dennis Allen, who was fired Nov. 4.
The feeling in league circles is that general manager Mickey Loomis will lean towards someone he knows, with Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn -- who narrowly lost out to Allen last time around -- a frequent name mentioned. Interim coach Darren Rizzi is beloved in the building and expected to be a candidate, especially with the way a locker room decimated by injuries has continued to fight for him. Mike McCarthy and Bills OC Joe Brady have Saints roots, too. But the team is looking into all the top candidates.
Chicago Bears
The Bears are still working through background on a long list of candidates in a search led by team president Kevin Warren and general manager Ryan Poles, whom Warren has said will remain a key piece of the organization after the firing of head coach Matt Eberflus on Nov. 29.
Despite a 10-game losing streak amidst seemingly constant turmoil, the Bears have a lot to offer prospective coaches, including 2024 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams at quarterback, ample draft resources, loads of cap space and hopes of breaking ground on a new stadium in 2025.
One name that is expected to be part of the process: coveted Lions OC Ben Johnson, who is intrigued by the job and is going to listen.
But the Bears aren't locked in on anything yet. They want someone who embodies the city of Chicago at a critical time for the franchise to set itself up for years to come. Other names to watch include: Mike Vrabel, Vikings DC Brian Flores and Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, among many others.
