The NFL season is 10 weeks old and already the hot seat is burning for some coaches. Our weekly look at the hot seat includes a name we're used to seeing, like Tony Sparano with the Miami Dolphins, but it also includes a coach who has been with his team for over a decade in Andy Reid with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The season is barely halfway over so things can (and will) change but, for now, here's what the hot seat looks like around the NFL:
1. Jim Caldwell, Indianapolis Colts: And then there was one. Caldwell's Colts are the only winless team remaining in the NFL. Caldwell's job security is an interesting one to look at because he has the ultimate excuse for his team playing poorly -- the loss of Peyton Manning. But can that really be considered an excuse for a team to lose its first 10 games? I'm not sure that it can. Colts' executive Billi Polian and GM Chris Polian have been supportive of Caldwell when talking to the public but it's awfully difficult to envision a scenario where the Colts go on to win one or two games and they decide to bring Caldwell back.
2. Tony Sparano, Miami Dolphins: Look at the Dolphins now. Two weeks ago they were 0-7 and looking like favorites for the Andrew Luck sweepstakes but Sparano's crew has strung together two in a row against the Chiefs and Redskins. I'm not sure that's enough to save his job -- I don't know that anything can save him at this point -- but it's at least toned down the calls for his job in South Florida. Barring a significant win streak in the second half of the season, iI would stilli expect Sparano to be gone at the end of the year.
3. Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles: Let me say up front that I don't think getting rid of Reid would be the best move for the Eagles organization. That said, you have to consider him on the hot seat after his Eagles fell to 3-6 with the loss to the Cardinals last weekend. Reid is partially a victim of the Eagles hype machine, which set incredibly high expectations for this season after the offseason acquisitions they made. Reid has been there since 1999 and the Eagles haven't won a Super Bowl. From that perspective, I can see how ownership would consider moving on.
4. Steve Spagnuolo, St. Louis Rams: This team is gaining a little bit of momentum and, if it weren't for a late botched field goal two weeks ago, they'd be on a three-game winning streak. That said, the Rams have dug themselves into too big of a hole early in the season by starting 0-6, which is unacceptable when you're in the third year of a rebuilding project and coming off a season in which you won seven games. The jury is still out on Spags but in the big picture this is a step in the wrong direction.
5. Todd Haley, Kansas City Chiefs: For a coaching staff and front office that preaches consistency, this is one of the most inconsistent teams in the league. From a three-game losing streak to start the season, to rebounding to with a four-game winning streak and now, losing two in a row to the supposedly lowly Dolphins and Broncos. Haley's job security has been an issue that's been discussed ever since the Chiefs' 0-3 start and it's starting to crop back up with the latest two-game slide. Haley can put the hot seat talk to rest with a few wins in the Chiefs final seven games.