The 2019 NFL season isn't even a month old, and there are already a handful of head coaches who are struggling to find a way to win games at the behest of their organizations, management and fans. Here are four NFL coaches who are already on the hot seat just four weeks into the season.
1. Dan Quinn, Atlanta Falcons
Oh, how the tables have rapidly turned on Quinn and the Falcons. Not even three years removed from the infamous Super Bowl where the Falcons blew a 28-3 lead to the Patriots, Quinn has struggled to find a way to jumpstart his offense. Even with talented players such as Matt Ryan and Julio Jones at his disposal, Quinn's offense has been putrid. And while his defense has been suffering after the loss of star safety Keanu Neal to injury, there's no excuse for having a -29 point differential on the season so far. Arthur Blank may be looking for a new Falcons head coach in the near future after this 1-3 start.
2. Jay Gruden, Washington Redskins
A winless September has left Gruden on a really short leash, although the blame cannot be completely pinned on him. He's lost Derrius Guice, Jordan Reed and Brandon Scherff to injuries, leaving his offense decimated and in the hands of Case Keenum, who himself was benched for rookie Dwayne Haskins who proceeded to throw three picks in his NFL debut. However, Gruden will be the eventual scapegoat for the Redskins' struggles, as he's had six years to turn the franchise around and hasn't been able to do so.
3. Mike Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings
On the heels of a 13-3 season and a spot in the NFC Championship, the Minnesota Vikings' season has not lived up to its lofty expectations, and the buck stops with Mike Zimmer. Zimmer hasn't been able to get the most out of overpaid franchise quarterback Kirk Cousins, and this in turn has created a lot of friction involving wide receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs. Combine this with a 2-2 start, especially after last week's 16-6 loss to the Bears, and Zimmer's seat is getting hotter by the second in icy Minnesota.
4. Bill O'Brien, Houston Texans
To be completely fair, O'Brien's reign as head coach for the Texans has been quite successful. He's led the Texans to the playoffs and AFC South division titles three times in the past four years. However, he hasn't been able to get over the playoffs hump and advance further than the Divisional Round in any of those postseason appearances. Now, with a 2-2 start to the season and an inability to get the most out of his talented offense, it may be time for the Texans to move on from O'Brien if they fail to capitalize on a pretty weak AFC South division in which they were the clear-cut favorites entering the season.
