NFL coaches on the hotseat...

In the NFL every year there are coaches that are on the hot seat, 2009 is no exception. There are 11 teams breaking in new headsets for the big guy with the clip board, who knows how many will be doing the same in 2010. I think this off season you will see a bunch of retreads getting hired, mostly due to the fact that there are some really good coaches out there. I'm sure there will be some guys who get fired that don't deserve it and there are others who do deserve it but won't for what ever reason. Here are the coaches that have short leashes(needs to make playoffs/Super Bowl) and the others are guys who have just over stayed their welcome and there possible replacements...

John Fox, Carolina Panthers(68-42): Every year the Panthers are Super Bowl contenders and every season except 2003 Carolina has come up short of this goal. The Panthers have one of the most talented defenses in the league, they have a top-5 wide receiver in Steve Smith, and now they have have one of the best running games with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart yet the Panthers are routinely not in the playoffs or they are out in the first round. John Fox took over a 1-15 team in 2002 and turned them into a 7-9 team in his first season. The Panthers made the Super Bowl in Fox's second year by going 11-5. Fox then took the Panthers to the NFC Championship in 2005 losing to the overrated Seattle Seahawks, this is the last time the Panthers made the NFC title game. Carolina would miss the playoffs in 2006 and 2007 before putting together a 12-4 season in 2008 where they once again were shellacked by an over rated NFC West team the Arizona Cardinals. If Fox does not lead this team to the Super Bowl he should be gone, especially with Bill Cowher still looking for a job(Cowher would be the coach that could get this team over the hump).Replacement: Bill Cowher

Dick Jauron, Buffalo Bills(57-77): Look Dick Jauron should be lucky just to have a job, he's not that good of a coach and there are more qualified people out there. He should have been fired last year after they started 4-0 and collapsed and went 7-9. He has not had a winning season in Buffalo(only one winning season in his career) and sadly the pick up of Terrell Owens will not help him. Buffalo should already be trying to get a hold of Jon Gruden, Mike Shanahan, or Marty Schottenheimer because Dick Jauron will be gone before the New Year. If Buffalo makes the playoffs then Dick should be around for another year. Replacement: Marty Schottenheimer

Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals(46-49-1): Marvin Lewis has over stayed his welcome, he hasn't done that much to warrant still being a head coach. He took the Bengals to their first playoff birth in 2005 by going 11-5 but they lost in the first round of the playoffs and they have digressed every year since then. The players that have been brought into Cincinnati have given the franchise a black eye and the majority of that should fall on Lewis. 2005 was Lewis' most successful season, he has won 8 games three times and has had losing seasons the last 2 years, he needs to go. I'm not sure who the Bengals should bring in but they should be a disciplinarian with a no nonsense attitude(Jon Gruden anyone?). The only thing Lewis has going for him is the return of Carson Palmer which may very well get Lewis another year in Cincinnati. They need to make the playoffs for Lewis to keep his job. Replacement: Jon Gruden or some new guy, who knows with Bungals

Wade Phillips, Dallas Cowboys(61-46): Wade Phillips is another guy that shouldn't be a head coach. If the Cowboys don't get off to a fast start he will be gone and Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett will be the new man in town. Phillips couldn't handle T.O. the last two years and that really hurt the team, they have had one of the most dangerous offenses yet they have not won a playoff game in over a decade. I don't see Phillips making it to 2010 as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, but if he does stay around it will have meant that he won a playoff game. Replacement: Jason Garrett

Jim Zorn, Washington Redskins(8-8): With big names sitting out there like Shanahan and Cowher, Zorn needs to win now. Daniel Snyder is enamoured by the high priced coaches and Jim Zorn hasn't turned out to be the offensive genius that Snyder wanted. I'm not saying he deserves to be fired if the Redskins don't make the playoffs, I'm just saying with crazy Snyder running the team Zorn is on a very short leash. The Skins went 6-2 to begin the season and then they faded down the stretch, if they have a repeat performance the owner could have a knee jerk reaction and Zorn will be gone before the end of the regular season. Replacement: Mike Shanahan