NFL teams fall short of their expectations all the time. The league is highly competitive – head coaches have to fight to keep their jobs every year. Many firings even occur before the season is over.

Every head coach has plenty of optimism about their team at the beginning of the NFL season, but the reality is often different. Many coaches are entering a year in which they have to prove themselves to retain jobs. After the 2022-23 campaign concludes, we’ll likely see a few teams make changes and some could do it before that.

That’s why many online bookers offer the first NFL coach fired odds. I explore the prices in this post and share my prediction on the first NFL coach to lose their job in 2022.

Football NFL First Coach Fired Odds for 2022

  • Matt Rhule; +300
  • Mike McCarthy; +450
  • Pete Carroll; +600
  • Frank Reich; +700
  • Ron Rivera; +800
  • Kevin Stefanski; +1000
  • Dan Campbell; +1000
  • Mike Vrabel; +1200
  • Kliff Kingsbury; +1200
  • Robert Saleh; +1400
  • Arthur Smith; +1400

Last season, seven head coaches were let go from their positions, but only one person was fired during the season – Urban Meyer. His tenure in Jacksonville was disastrous, to say the least. No one expected him to fail in the NFL so spectacularly and quickly.

Another head coach will possibly lose their job mid-season in 2022. Matt Rhule is at the top of the betting odds for the first NFL coach fired, but someone else’s tenure could also end prematurely.

Let’s take a look at the most endangered NFL coaches for the upcoming campaign.

Football Matt Rhule

  • Team: Carolina Panthers
  • Years in the League: 3
  • Age: 47
  • Head Coaching Record: 10-23

This one is a no-brainer. Since Rhule took over head coaching duties for the Panthers in 2020, the team has been abysmal. You can’t put the blame entirely on Rhule – the quarterback position has been a mess since he arrived in Carolina.

During Rhule’s two years as head coach, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. Star running back Christian McCaffery can’t seem to remain healthy, and the offense simply can’t score points. The team has been inept over the last few seasons.

Many described Rhule as an “offensive guru” when he entered the NFL, but he hasn’t lived up to the hype. He’s failed to maximize QB Sam Darnold’s potential and now he’ll likely turn to newly-acquired QB Baker Mayfield to be the starter.

In 2020, Carolina went 5-11 under Rhule, and in 2021, the record was 5-12. That’s simply not going to cut it in the NFL. It’s very, very likely that Rhule loses his job first – perhaps even midway through the season.

Football Ron Rivera

  • Team: Washington Commanders
  • Years in the League: 24
  • Age: 60
  • Head Coaching Record: 93-81-1 (including playoffs)

Rivera enters his third season as head coach for the Washington Commanders. Despite winning the NFC East in 2020, Rivera’s tenure in Washington has been lackluster. The NFL first coach fired betting odds favor him because his team has underachieved.

The team hasn’t won more than seven games in a season since 2016, which is simply horrendous. The defense also took a major step back in 2021, and many wonder if the team will have any type of cohesion in 2022.

Washington acquired Carson Wentz from the Colts, who’s certainly an upgrade at quarterback over Taylor Heineke. However, Wentz was often inconsistent and at times erratic for Indianapolis last season. It’s still uncertain if he’ll make the team much better.

Football Mike McCarthy

  • Team: Dallas Cowboys
  • Years in the League: 27
  • Age: 58
  • Head Coaching Record: 153-101-2 (including playoffs)

The former Packers and Super Bowl-winning head coach is also on the chopping block – or is he? The Cowboys won the NFC East last season and they’re betting favorites to win the division yet again.

McCarthy’s coaching abilities have made the team a lot better overall. The Cowboys went from 6-10 in 2020 to 12-5 the very next season. The team went three years without a playoff berth, but now the Cowboys are in a position to remain competitive in the NFC East.

Why is Mike McCarthy at risk of losing his job? Expectations are super high in Dallas, especially since they have a team that’s good enough to be competing for a Super Bowl. The belief is that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expects nothing short of a championship.

Football Frank Reich

  • Team: Indianapolis Colts
  • Years in the League: 15
  • Age: 60
  • Head Coaching Record: 38-30 (including playoffs)

This one is a bit surprising – in four years as head coach of the Colts, Reich has taken the team to playoffs twice. However, Indianapolis hasn’t won a division title since 2014, which is very concerning.

In every year as head coach for the Colts, Reich’s had to work with a different starting quarterback. Maintaining cohesion on offense despite the instability at quarterback is actually a testament to his coaching skills. Now, he’ll turn to QB Matt Ryan to lead the offense.

What’s working against Reich right now is that his team ended 2021 in extremely disappointing fashion. The Colts was on the cusp of clinching a spot in the playoffs, but they completely fell apart and lost the final two games of the season.

Football Pete Carroll

  • Team: Seattle Seahawks
  • Years in the League: 49
  • Age: 70
  • Head Coaching Record: 152–104–1 (including playoffs)

I think Pete Carroll should actually be higher in the NFL coaches betting odds to be fired. Seattle hasn’t been a very good team in a while, and Carroll has whittled away what used to be one of the best rosters in the NFL.

Furthermore, trading Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos was a strange decision. The former Seattle QB is a perennial Pro Bowler and he’s still in the prime of his career. Carroll appears to be regressing as a head coach, but many believe he’ll likely retire before he’s fired.

Football NFL First Coach to Be Fired Prediction

Aside from Urban Meyer last season, the betting favorites rarely miss when it comes to NFL head coach firings. I believe that Matt Ruhle will be the first one to go in 2022. He’s in over his head and his coaching abilities aren’t enough to save the Carolina Panthers.

  • My Prediction: Matt Ruhle; +300
  • Bonus Pick: Pete Carroll to Resign; +600

Pete Carroll is in the waning stages of his career – he’s not the Super Bowl-winning head coach he used to be. Carroll is also 70 years old, and it appears that he’s not the man to lead the Seahawks anymore.

I expect him to retire this season and the best football betting sites offer odds of +600 for Carroll to resign. That’s quite tasty and definitely worth a small wager.

Football More NFL Futures for 2022-23

Are you looking for more betting futures for the NFL in 2022-23? You should explore my AFC preview and NFC preview. I explore the latest odds and share my predictions for both divisions.

Our team will also continue to cover the football season, so stay tuned for more useful content.

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