NFL Coaches on the Hot Seat

Nov 17, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan along the sidelines during the first quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles defeated the Redskins 24-16. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

With the end of the season fast approaching, perhaps the most interesting day of the offseason is coming…Black Monday! The day after the final Sunday of the regular season when most coaches on the hot seat get the ax and begin to search for new jobs. While it must be a heartbreaking day for them (Shanahan aside, who will be doing the dance of joy), it makes for a very entertaining day for NFL fans. There are some coaches that seem destined to be fired this year and others that are on the hot seat but could still save their jobs. Lets take a look at some coaches and how hot their seat is…

Lukewarm Seat:

Mike Smith, Atlanta Falcons (60-34):

The Falcons are just plain terrible this year, but it appears to be a fluke. Over Smith’s six seasons with Atlanta, this is his first losing season and only his second season with under 10 wins. While it is unlikely Smith will be fired due to his previous success, if team management is looking for a drastic change to spark this team, it could be a coaching change. He should be fine on Black Monday, but if the miserable losing continues next season his seat will get hotter and hotter.

Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers (69-41):

This team has gotten older and management hasn’t drafted well to fix it. While not Tomlin’s fault, he could be looking for a job depending on how the Steelers finish the season. Right now, they’re 6-8 and they finished 8-8 last season. If they finish below 8-8, they may want a change. This would be a poor decision since he is one of the better coaches in the league, but back-to-back 8-8 seasons (at best) does not make for job security.