Steve Starr
- Matt Rhule (+350) is the favorite to be the first NFL head coach fired in 2022
- Mike McCarthy (+500) and Pete Carroll (+600) both should survive the season
- Ron Rivera (+800) has a 14-19 record in his first two years in Washington
Eight NFL head coaches hit the unemployment line in 2021. However, at this time last year it would have been difficult to predict the two who were relieved of their duties mid-season. Despite being two of the highest-paid coaches in the league, Jon Gruden and Urban Meyer both lost their jobs with games still left to play, leaving interim leaders to take the reins.
Which NFL head coach will be the first to be fired this season? Before we look at the board, here’s where you can find the latest 2022 NFL MVP betting odds as well as the top betting sites for NFL football in 2022.
First NFL Coach Fired
 |
|
| Matt Rhule | +350 |
| Mike McCarthy | +500 |
| Pete Carroll | +600 |
| Ron Rivera | +800 |
| Kliff Kingsbury | +900 |
| Frank Reich | +1100 |
| Dan Campbell | +1200 |
| Mike Vrabel | +1200 |
| Arthur Smith | +1400 |
| Kevin Stefanski | +1400 |
| Robert Saleh | +1400 |
| Mike Tomlin | +1800 |
| Lovie Smith | +2500 |
| Nick Sirianni | +2500 |
| John Harbaugh | +3300 |
| Kyle Shanahan | +4000 |
| Todd Bowles | +5000 |
| Brandon Staley | +6600 |
| Mike McDaniel | +6600 |
| Doug Pederson | +7500 |
| Kevin O'Connell | +7500 |
| Matt Eberflus | +7500 |
| Zac Taylor | +7500 |
| Brian Daboll | +8000 |
| Dennis Allen | +8000 |
| Matt Lafleur | +8000 |
| Nathaniel Hackett | +8000 |
| Andy Reid | +10000 |
| Bill Belichick | +10000 |
| Josh McDaniels | +10000 |
| Sean McDermott | +15000 |
| Sean McVay | +15000 |
Matt Rhule on the hot seat
Matt Rhule (+350) is the favorite to be the first head coach fired this season for a couple of reasons. One, he has a 10-23 record in his two years in charge of the Carolina Panthers. Two, his boss is billionaire hedge fund manager David Tepper. And, three, his quarterbacks are 2018 draft busts Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold. Before you feel too sorry for Rhule, remember that he passed on drafting a rookie signal-caller in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Matt Rhule: Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold were both in command. https://t.co/7IpBV3uCDy
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 13, 2022
Coaches to be canned?
Mike McCarthy (+500) is high on the board because of Jerry Jones’ rumored interest in former Saints boss Sean Payton. But, a high-profile move of that nature is much more likely to occur following the 2022 season. Keep in mind also that the Dallas Cowboys left Jason Garrett at the controls for nine full years.
Pete Carroll (+600) is another bad bet, despite his quarterbacks being Geno Smith and Drew Lock. While the 70-year-old’s run-first philosophy is horribly outdated for today’s NFL, there is no way the Super Bowl-winning head coach will be dismissed by his buddy John Schneider during the season.
Best bets to be fired
Ron Rivera (+800) led his club into the playoffs in his first season in D.C., albeit with a 7-9 record. “Riverboat” followed that up with a disappointing 7-10 mark in 2021. The Commanders are projected to have one of the league’s easiest schedules in 2022, but the mere presence of Carson Wentz is concerning. With Jack Del Rio still at the helm and Chase Young still recovering from a torn ACL, Washington’s defense could be every bit as bad as they were last year.
Carson Wentz, Ron Rivera pleased with QB's debut, but plenty of room to grow https://t.co/6W2VDuTXGu
— NBC Sports Commanders (@NBCSCommanders) August 15, 2022
Arthur Smith (+1400) went a respectable 7-10 in his debut season, but oddsmakers have bestowed his Atlanta Falcons with the lowest win total (4.5) in the NFL.
Kevin Stefanski (+1400) will have journeyman Jacoby Brissett running his offense if Cleveland doesn’t swing a deal for Jimmy Garappolo. With all the bad headlines surrounding Deshaun Watson and the organization, the Browns could opt for a fresh start.
Brandon Staley and Mike McDaniel are the best longshots on the board at +6600 a piece. Why? Sean Payton name-dropped both the Chargers and Dolphins as organizations he’s targeting for his return. If Staley’s baffling in-game decisions continue to cost the Bolts’ victories in a tough AFC West division, Los Angeles could move quickly to pair young stud Justin Herbert with an offensive mastermind like Payton.
Best Bet: Ron Rivera (+800)
Best Longshot: Brandon Staley (+6600)
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
