While the 2020 NFL regular season doesn’t get underway for approximately another four months, It’s never too early to start making fun-filled predictions that could help you cash in consistently on this coming season’s value-packed NFL Odds.
Way Too Early First NFL Coach Fired Predictions
With that thought in mind, now is a great time to look at which coaches are on the hot seat and which ones look like they could be the first to get the ax in 2020. In reverse order, here are my top five NFL head coaches that could get the boot this coming campaign.
Joe Judge – New York Giants
Joe Judge might be a fellow Philadelphia native, but the first-year New York Giants head coach could very well be looking at a one-and-done in the Big Apple depending on how things go in 2020. While Judge has been a part of Bill Belichick’s staff since 2012, the former special teams coordinator and wide receiver coach has never been a head coach at any level. Judge will be under constant pressure for the Giants to perform at least competently and that may be asking too much from a team that went 4-12 a year ago. While he’s not at the top of my coaches to be fired list, again, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Jude is given the ax if things go horribly in New York this coming campaign.
Zac Taylor – Cincinnati Bengals
Taylor, who was the offensive coordinator in Miami for one season in 2015, got the job in Cincinnati prior to the 2019 campaign after two years with the L.A. Rams as an assistant wide receivers and quarterbacks coach. However, judging on last year’s pitiful two-win season, it’s clear to me that Taylor might be overmatched in his new role. While Taylor has gained some respect across the league for his offensive acumen, the Bengals finished 26ht in total offense last season and a dismal 30th in scoring (27.0 ppg). If Taylor doesn’t mesh right off the bat with No. 1 overall draft pick Joe Burrow, he’ll be out of Cincinnati faster LeBron James’ receding hairline.
Adam Gase – New York Jets
After going a mediocre 23-25 in three seasons leading the Miami Dolphins from 2016-2018, the New York Jets made Adam Gase their head coach prior to the 2019 season. While the Jets went a decent 7-9 last season, I’m no fan of Gase and I believe his act could wear thin in the Big Apple very soon, much like it did in South Beach. If the Jets don’t take a step forward, particularly with Tom Brady no long in New England, he could be gone in a New York Minute, pardon the pun.
Doug Marrone – Jacksonville Jaguars
The former head coach in Buffalo in 2013 and 2014, landed the job in Jacksonville following Week 14 of the 2016 season. While he took the Jags to the AFC Championship game in 2017 following a modest 10-6 regular season, things have gone completely downhill ever since. Jacksonville’s six wins last year gave them a grand total of 11 victories over the last two seasons. I’m thinking anything less than eight wins in 2020 will get him the boot.
Matt Patricia – Detroit Lions
Now entering his third years as the head coach in Detroit, former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is definitely on the hot seat entering the 2020 regular season and rightfully so. Two years ago, Patricia took a Lions team that had won nine games the year before and guided them to a uninspiring 6-10 finish. While quarterback Matthew Stafford missed a major portion of the 2019 campaign, Patricia’s teams looked seriously confused in going a pitiful 3-12-1. If Detroit gets off to a slow start this coming season, there will be more calls for his firing than there already are, especially seeing as how he’s already made a negative impression on several players.
Honorable Mention
Dan Quinn – Atlanta Falcons
While Quinn has gone a solid 43-37 in five seasons leading Atlanta, the Falcons have gone 7-9 in consecutive seasons and who can get forget their Super Bowl collapse against New England in 2016? Yeah…one more sub par year in the Dirty South and Quinn could be gone.
Bill O’Brien – Houston Texans
O’Brien has gone 52-44 in six seasons leading Houston while recording consecutive double-digit winning seasons the last two years and reaching the playoffs four times overall. While O’Brien’s track record looks great and I love the job he did at my beloved Penn State just prior to taking the Job in H-Town, for me, O’Brien’s teams haven’t lived up to their vast potential. Not only that, but given his strange trade of superstar wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, I’ve got to believe he’s one more mistake away from getting the boot.
