Former Rams Assistants On Hot Seats Entering 2025

After extending Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the Bengals' stars on defense feel financially neglected and thus could lead to another season without postseason football despite MVP production by Joe Burrow.

"The Bengals went 9-8 in 2024, a record many teams would have loved to have reached," wrote Locker. "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)."

"The Bengals’ core isn’t getting any younger or cheaper, and key pieces, such as Hendrickson, may not have much time left in Cincinnati. After two straight 9-8 finishes, it feels like Taylor will need to at least make the playoffs this year to retain his job."

Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart have avoided team activities due to contract disputes with allegations that the Bengals tried to use different language on Stewart's contract compared to other unsigned draft picks.

The good news is that as long as Joe Burrow is healthy, he can throw the Bengals back into any game.

In Atlanta, people do not like general manager Terry Fontenot and blame him and Raheem Morris for the Kirk Cousins disaster.

"Morris also falls into the category of coaches who probably won’t get fired, but there’s still some chance, even if less than most of the names on this list."

"In Morris’ first season back with the Falcons, Atlanta — which was expected to be a playoff contender — went only 8-9, full of an unanticipated quarterback shuffle and an underwhelming defense that ranked 22nd in EPA per play and 27th in success rate allowed. The good news for Morris and the Falcons is that Michael Penix Jr. (87.6 PFF passing grade) will now be afforded a full season of starting next to a strong offensive core, plus with a defense that landed upgrades in Jalon Walker (85.2 PFF pass-rushing grade) and James Pearce Jr. (88.9 PFF pass-rushing grade)."

"The Falcons are in a bit of a strange spot in that they very well may not make drastic changes even if they fail to make the playoffs again; after all, it will be Penix’s first real season as a starter. But with no first-round pick in 2026 and no postseason berth since 2017, desperation would figure to be creeping in. Morris’ previous stop as the team’s head coach in 2020, during which the Falcons went 4-7, could factor into the choice to fire him if the franchise doesn’t take another step in 2025."

Morris gifted the NFC South to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a second-half meltdown during the 2025 season, and the Falcons are acting like a desperate team. However, the right mix of desperation plus Zac Robinson's offense with Morris' evolving scheme could create the perfect environment to brew a battle-hardened dirty birds team, reflective of the Falcons of the early 90s that defined the dirty south.