The AFC North had three head coaches make a PFF list of 10 NFL head coaches on the hot seat for 2025 with the Ravens John Harbaugh avoiding the dreaded list
The NFL only has 32 head coaching jobs, and the AFC North is a yearly pressure cooker with two or three teams always in the mix or landing a postseason opportunity.
Expectations are heavy, and as teams continue OTAs and mandatory minicamps, PFF is taking an early look at which NFL coaches could be on the hot seat. PFF listed ten head coaches from around the league, with three coming from the AFC North.
Kevin Stefanski, Browns
In five seasons with the Browns, the Philadelphia native has a 40-44 record (.476) with two playoff appearances.
What PFF said: Like Daboll, Stefanski likely heard the chatter about his job security after a dismal season. The former two-time Coach of the Year witnessed his Browns squad go only 3-14 and net the second-overall selection. Stefanski is an interesting case study, given his prior success and offensive abilities, as the Browns finished ninth in EPA per play during the 2020 campaign. More broadly, he has compiled a 40-44 record with two trips to the playoffs and a postseason win — the same number the team had earned since the 1994 season. Still, it’s hard to overcome Cleveland’s metrics last year, particularly sitting 32nd in offensive EPA per play and 31st in success rate. A once-formidable defense also regressed tremendously, concluding the year 15th in EPA per play and 29th in PFF coverage grade.
Taylor has a 46-52-1 record in six seasons with the Bengals. Taylor has led Cincinnati to two postseason appearances, but none in the last two years.
What PFF said: The Bengals went 9-8 in 2024, a record many teams would have loved to have reached. But considering the talent on the roster and a waning championship window, it feels like a prove-it year for Taylor. Although Cincinnati’s offense finished seventh in EPA per play, its defense languished to 28th in success rate despite Trey Hendrickson‘s presence (90.4 PFF pass-rushing grade). Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins effectively played like Madden characters each week, and it still wasn’t enough to crack the playoffs — largely due to a 1-4 start. Cincinnati extended both Chase (84.9 PFF receiving grade) and Higgins (88.3 PFF receiving grade), keeping the groundwork in place for another high-flying offense. But it’s fair to wonder how much better the defense is on paper, even after adding top picks Shemar Stewart (79.5 PFF overall grade) and Demetrius Knight Jr. (82.8 PFF overall grade).
Tomlin has a 183-107-2 record in 18 years with the Steelers, but his playoff win drought is concerning.
What PFF said about Tomlin: Tomlin remains among the NFL’s most contested coaches. Some feel he’s one of the league’s very best in his ability to finish with a winning record despite poor rosters, while the other side of the spectrum stresses his consistent failures late in the season. The Steelers have amassed a 38-29-1 record over the past four years but haven’t won a playoff game since the 2016 season, which is a staggering amount of time considering the talent they’ve had in that span and how many opportunities the organization has had to change that. Since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement, Pittsburgh has mostly been handicapped by subpar quarterback play, cycling through motley options — even in 2025. Another complicating factor is a high-paid defense that underwhelmed in 2024, sitting 18th in EPA per play and 30th in success rate from Week 10 onward. Tomlin’s poor timeout management, questionable late-down decision making, challenge indiscretions and roster building all warrant criticism. If the Steelers end north of .500 yet again, it feels implausible that owner Art Rooney would actually make a change from his 19-year head coach. But how long can a storied franchise that prides itself on achievements be content with doing nothing in January as others in the AFC keep lapping them?