The NFL’s coaching carousel has spun its first victim of the 2025 season, with Brian Callahan being relieved of his duties as head coach of the Tennessee Titans after a dismal 1-5 start. This early dismissal reignites intense scrutiny on other coaches across the league, with several prominent names finding themselves squarely on the hot seat as the season progresses. From surprising college firings with multi-million dollar buyouts to the ongoing struggle of teams hoping for a mid-season turnaround, the pressure to perform is palpable, and the financial implications for organizations are staggering.
The coaching landscape in professional football is notoriously unforgiving, a reality starkly underscored by the recent firing of Brian Callahan, the head coach of the Tennessee Titans. With a 1-5 record to start his second season, Callahan became the first NFL head coach to be ousted during the 2025 campaign, a move that sends ripples of anxiety through locker rooms and executive suites alike. His tenure, which concluded with an overall record of 4-19, including a 10-game skid, highlights the brutal demands of the league and the increasingly short leash for underperforming teams.
Titans’ President of Football Operations, Chad Brinker, conveyed the organization’s commitment to a “patient and strategic plan,” but emphasized that the team had “not demonstrated sufficient growth.” The decision followed extensive discussions with controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk and general manager Mike Borgonzi, reflecting a front office determined to make “hard decisions” to meet their standards, as reported by the Associated Press.
Callahan’s dismissal serves as a harsh reminder of the challenges faced by first-time head coaches, especially when paired with a rookie quarterback. Despite being hired in January 2024 for his reputation in developing signal-callers, including Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow, Callahan’s offense struggled profoundly. The Titans averaged a mere 12.8 points per game and 3.94 yards per play through Week 4, leading Callahan to relinquish play-calling duties just weeks before his firing. Rookie quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall draft pick, became the most-sacked quarterback in the NFL under Callahan’s watch, with 25 sacks through six games, including two games with six sacks each.
The Ever-Spinning NFL Coaching Hot Seat: Who’s Next?
Callahan’s departure opens the floodgates for speculation on who might follow him into unemployment. Historically, three head coaches were fired mid-season last year, and the pressure is mounting for several figures this fall.
- Mike McDaniel (Dolphins): Despite a 1-5 start, McDaniel has been a focal point of hot seat discussions. Team culture concerns have resurfaced following Tua Tagovailoa’s comments criticizing unnamed teammates for being late to player-led meetings, as widely reported, including by the Associated Press.
- Aaron Glenn (Jets): The Jets’ new coach is making “rookie mistakes,” such as clock management errors and questionable play calls, like having Justin Fields drop back on fourth down from the Denver 44 instead of attempting a field goal in a tight 13-11 loss. Glenn holds the unfortunate distinction of being the first Jets coach to begin his tenure with six losses, and the team recently registered a franchise-worst minus-10 net yards passing.
- John Harbaugh (Ravens): Even a Super Bowl winner is not immune. With the Ravens (1-5) underperforming amidst Lamar Jackson’s sidelining, Harbaugh, who boasts 187 NFL wins, faced significant fan backlash during their fourth consecutive loss.
- Kellen Moore (Saints): Joining the ranks of new head coaches struggling to find traction, Moore’s Saints are off to a 1-5 start.
The “No. 1 Pick Quarterback” Curse on Head Coaches
Callahan’s firing continues a peculiar trend: he is the fourth head coach in five years to be dismissed during the season after their team selected a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick. This pattern highlights the immense pressure and often unrealistic expectations placed on coaches to immediately transform a struggling franchise around a rookie signal-caller. Other coaches who met this fate include:
- Matt Eberflus (Chicago, 2024)
- Frank Reich (Carolina, 2023)
- Urban Meyer (Jacksonville, 2021)
- Historically, Hue Jackson (Cleveland, 2018) and Jeff Fisher (Rams, 2016) also fit this scenario.
A Look Back: How Do Replacements Fare?
The performance of interim and full-time replacements from the previous season offers a mixed bag of results, providing valuable context for teams considering a coaching change.
Mid-Season Firings (2024 Season):
Last year, three head coaches were fired mid-season:
- Robert Saleh (Jets, Week 5)
- Dennis Allen (Saints, Week 9)
- Matt Eberflus (Bears, Week 14)
These three coaches had a combined record of 8-18. Their interim replacements finished 7-18 in 2024, while their full-time successors in the current 2025 season have a cumulative record of 4-13. The exception to this trend is Ben Johnson (3-2) in Chicago, where the Bears have found early success, scoring 20-plus points in their first five weeks for the first time since 1995. In contrast, Aaron Glenn (0-6) and Kellen Moore (1-5) have struggled.
Post-Season Firings (January 2025):
Four teams opted to wait until after the 2024 season to make coaching changes, and their replacements have generally fared better:
- Jerod Mayo (Patriots) was replaced by Mike Vrabel, who is 4-2.
- Antonio Pierce (Raiders) was replaced by Pete Carroll, who is 2-4.
- Doug Pederson (Jaguars) was replaced by Liam Coen, who is 4-2.
- Mike McCarthy (Cowboys) was replaced by Brian Schottenheimer, who is 2-3-1.
These coaches, who replaced those fired in January 2025, hold a combined record of 12-11-1. Notably, Vrabel has already matched Mayo’s four wins from the 2024 season, and Coen has equaled Pederson’s four victories, suggesting that a more patient approach might sometimes yield better initial results.
Coaching Changes Extend to College Football, With Hefty Buyouts
The instability isn’t limited to the NFL. The 2025 college football season has also seen a flurry of dismissals. Brian Callahan joins seven FBS head coaches who have already been fired this season due to poor starts. This list includes:
- Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State)
- Sam Pittman (Arkansas)
- DeShaun Foster (UCLA)
- Brent Pry (Virginia Tech)
- Trent Bray (Oregon State)
- Trent Dilfer (UAB)
Perhaps the most high-profile college firing was James Franklin of Penn State, whose Nittany Lions were ranked No. 3 nationally just weeks before his dismissal, amid a three-game losing streak. The financial implications for universities are immense; Franklin’s buyout alone is nearly $50 million. Combined with the buyouts for the other six fired coaches, universities are on the hook for almost $100 million in severance payments so far this season, as reported by the Associated Press.
Similarly, Callahan’s relatively short tenure with the Titans comes with a significant cost. Fired just two dozen games into his five-year contract, which paid him approximately $3 million per season, the Titans are responsible for a buyout exceeding $10 million. These figures underscore that job security is a rare luxury in high-stakes sports coaching, often replaced by substantial financial parachutes.
Even Legends Aren’t Immune: Bill Belichick’s New Chapter
The volatile nature of coaching extends even to legendary figures. Bill Belichick, the architect of six Super Bowl victories with the New England Patriots, was famously fired by owner Robert Kraft in 2024 after nearly a quarter-century of unparalleled success. After a year’s sabbatical, Belichick surprised many by taking the head coaching job at North Carolina.
Despite his new role, Belichick recently found himself addressing media speculation regarding his future. During a weekly news conference, he refuted “categorically false” reports about seeking a buyout or attempting to leave the program, asserting, “There’s no truth to any of that. I’m glad I’m here,” according to the Associated Press. This situation with a coaching icon further illustrates that the “hot seat” is a universal constant in competitive sports, regardless of past achievements.
