The term "hot seat" is often reserved for NFL coaches, but really, every player's seat is hot -- in some way or another -- every year. Whether it's making a roster, making a jump or winning a Super Bowl, there's always pressure to perform. Not all hot seats are created equal.
For a coach on this list, a bad performance might mean they don't have a job next year. For a player, it might mean a drastically reduced role or salary, a new team or simply the need to play at a higher level. With that in mind, here's the hottest of hot seats for all 32 teams.
It may be unfair to put Christian Parker -- a highly regarded defensive mind in his first year as a coordinator -- here, but when you're trying to fix any Cowboys weakness, you're under the gun. The Cowboys drafted two first-round defenders (S Caleb Downs and EDGE Malachi Lawrence), signed S Jalen Thompson and CB Cobie Durant, traded for EDGE Rashan Gary and LB Dee Winters and will have star DL Quinnen Williams for a full season. This defense still isn't overflowing with talent, but it's in a better spot after finishing 30th in yards per play allowed and 32nd in net yards per attempt allowed.
Parker, who previously coached the excellent Eagles secondary, will go a long way in determining whether this loaded offense has enough support on the other side of the ball. If Dallas is middle of the pack -- or really just mediocre -- defensively, it will be a playoff team. If it's better than that, it can be a true Super Bowl contender.
Kayvon Thibodeaux has seen the Giants both draft (EDGE Abdul Carter) and trade (EDGE Brian Burns) over him, and both players have been more productive than he has. The 2022 No. 5 overall pick registered just 2.5 sacks in 10 games (shoulder), a far cry from his 11.5-sack 2023 season that seemed to hold so much promise. Thibodeaux is heading into the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, so it's a big year for his wallet, too.
Nick Sirianni's offensive coordinator selections have been hit or miss. Shane Steichen was excellent from 2021-22 before taking the Colts coaching job. Brian Johnson was bad in 2023.
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