Redskins Favored To Fire Head Coach First In 2019, Giants, Lions, Texans Among Top Candidates

Eight of the NFL’s 32 teams have changed head coaches within the last year. Two of those teams fired their head coaches during the 2018 NFL season, and you can be sure that at least one coach will be relieved of his duties during the 2019 season.

The first mid-season change last year wasn’t difficult to see coming. The Cleveland Browns fired Hue Jackson, who posted a historically poor 3-36 record with the team before being let go.

Ahead of the upcoming season, it’s Jay Gruden that’s been pegged as the betting favorite to be fired first. The Washington Redskins coach leads the way with +300 odds to be the first head coach that’s given his walking papers, via Bovada.

Washington is coming off their second straight 7-9 campaign. The Redskins have one playoff appearance and no postseason wins during Gruden’s five-year tenure with the team. With Case Keenum viewed as the placeholder at quarterback before rookie Dwayne Haskins takes over, Washington could be in for their worst year since going 4-12 in 2014 under Gruden.

The NFC East is home to the second coach on the list. Pat Shurmur has +750 odds to be fired. He led the New York Giants to a 5-11 record in 2018 during his first season with the team.

New York and Washington could spend the 2019 season battling to stay out of last place.

Matt Patricia is third with +1000 odds. The Detroit Lions went 6-10 in his first year as a head coach following three winning seasons in four years. Detroit is considered to be the only non-contender in the NFC North.

Bill O’Brien of the Houston Texans and Dan Quinn of the Atlanta Falcons are tied with +1200 odds. Doug Marrone, Jason Garrett and Mike Zimmer all have +1500 odds.

Garrett is in the final year of his contract with the Dallas Cowboys. Marrone and Zimmer both missed the playoffs last season after leading the Jacksonville Jaguars and Minnesota Vikings, respectively, to the conference championship in 2017.

Adam Gase has +2000 odds to be fired in his first year with the New York Jets. The same goes for Brian Flores, who is in year No.1 with the Miami Dolphins.

Mike Tomlin and Ron Rivera also have +2000 odds. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers both missed the 2018 playoffs.

Bill Belichick is not surprisingly considered the coach least likely to be let go first with +15000 odds. He’s led the New England Patriots to three straight Super Bowl appearances.