As we approach the final stretch of the NFL season, many players and coaches have reason to be concerned about losing their jobs based on poor performance. These players and coaches have the most to worry about approaching Week 12.
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Bridgewater has done what was expected, keeping the Broncos in games by avoiding turnovers. That's led to improvement for the Broncos, but it's probably not good enough for him to stick as the long-term quarterback.
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Matt Canada, OC, Steelers
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Pittsburgh wanted to transition to a more balanced offense, so Canada seemed like an appropriate hire. The balance has been clear, but the Steelers offense has declined this season near the lower tier of the NFL.
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Seattle's last losing season was 10 years ago, but they run the risk of finishing with a losing record this year. With Russell Wilson's future with the organization somewhat in doubt, Carroll could opt for retirement after this season at age 70.
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Jack Del Rio, DC, Washington
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Loaded with first-round talent, Washington has been one of the most disappointing defenses in football this year. Through Week 10, they ranked 28th in points allowed, and Del Rio could take the fall for their struggles.
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Fangio's Broncos went 12-20 in his first two seasons as the head coach, but he held on for a third year. He could be out if the team doesn't make the playoffs, and they sat outside the playoff picture after Week 11.
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Garoppolo had to know his days in San Francisco were numbered after the 49ers traded up for Trey Lance in the draft. His struggles with injuries have continued this season, and he's led the team to just a 5-4 record through his first nine starts.
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Goff struggles over the last two seasons with the Rams but was hoping to regain his old form with a change of scenery. That hasn't happened in Detroit, as he's posted a pitiful 6.3 yards per pass attempt through nine games.
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Taylor Heinicke, QB, Washington
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Heinicke was thrust into the starting lineup after Ryan Fitzpatrick suffered a hip injury in Week 1, but he hasn't done much to convince team brass that he's the long-term answer. He's gone 3-5 in his first eight starts with nine interceptions.
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Hurts has been impressive at times, but he still hasn't convinced everyone that he's an NFL starter. Accuracy continues to be an issue for Hurts, and he has a mediocre 7.3 yards per pass attempt.
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Now three seasons into his career, Jones is no closer to proving he's the long-term answer in New York. He continues to turn the ball over too often with the Giants off to a 3-7 start.
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The Giants disappointed with a 6-10 record in Judge's first season as head coach, and the early results in 2021 haven't been any better. The Giants were questioned for the hire when it happened and could opt to move on after two years.
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Nagy has yet to have a losing season in Chicago, but his vanilla playcalling and handling of the quarterback situation have made him a whipping boy in the media. After a slow start at 3-6, the Bears might need to see improvement from the team and quarterback Justin Fields for Nagy to keep his job beyond this season.
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The Panthers already struck out on their decision to acquire Sam Darnold in the offseason, but hope to salvage their season with Cam Newton. Rhule's defense has made solid improvement, but further progress is needed.
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Shanahan bought himself goodwill with a Super Bowl appearance two years ago, but the fact remains that he could have his fourth losing season in five years if the 49ers don't improve. The team has a lot invested in Trey Lance but could look toward another offensive mind if the 49ers don't improve in the second half of the season.
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Tagovailoa's player has been inconsistent since he entered the league last year. More concerning have been his multiple injuries, a continuation of what we saw in his college career. Miami could be in a position to acquire a quarterback in the offseason and might be well-advised to do so if Tagovailoa doesn't show more progress.
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Taylor was added as a veteran presence who could keep the Texans in games, but he's done very little of that this year. When not injured, he's turned the ball over too often, and the team could opt to see more of rookie Davis Mills down the stretch.
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Wilson was terrible early this season and has now found the bench after a brief absence due to injury. New York seems unlikely to turn the page after selecting Wilson second overall in the draft, but a good backup plan next year would be a good idea after he looked in over his head.
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Joe Woods, DC, Browns
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The Browns have invested a lot of draft capital in their defense, but have little to show for it in team results. Woods' unit ranked 21st in points allowed last year and has improved to only 20th this season through Week 10. Cleveland could look elsewhere if the unit doesn't improve.
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Zimmer's Vikings were consistently in contention in his first six seasons as head coach, but the team hasn't been the same since last year. The deterioration of the defense and questionable game management have put Zimmer on the hot seat entering the second half of the season.
Seth Trachtman is a sportswriter, digital marketer, and fantasy sports expert based in St. Louis, Missouri. He’s a two-time winner of the Tout Wars Fantasy Baseball Expert’s League, and his work has appeared in hundreds of fantasy baseball and fantasy football newsstand and online publications. He’s a University of Missouri alum and long-suffering turned spoiled Kansas City Chiefs fan. Seth doesn't often Tweet, but when he does, you can find him on Twitter/X @sethroto.