While it's not completely unprecedented for Bob McNair to fire a coach during the season, it wasn't something McNair did easily, and I don't think any Texans fan would say it was a rash decision. Nevertheless, the oddsmakers at Bookmaker say that your Houston Texans, coming off back-to-back winning seasons and a division title in 2015, are the sixth most likely NFL franchise to fire their head coach in 2016.
Not just fire their head coach during the season, mind you. Bookmaker says the Texans are the sixth most likely NFL team to fire their head coach FIRST.
Here's the complete list of Bookmaker's odds:
Jim Caldwell +370
Mike McCoy +385
Jeff Fisher +700
Gus Bradley +1100
Jason Garrett +1100
Chip Kelly +1500
Bill O'Brien +1750
Chuck Pagano +1750
Sean Payton +2000
Dirk Koetter +2000
Mike Mularkey +2000
Jay Gruden +2000
Jack Del Rio +2500
John Fox +2500
Rex Ryan +2500
Doug Pederson +2500
Adam Gase +3000
Hue Jackson +3300
Dan Quinn +3500
Todd Bowles +4000
John Harbaugh +4000
Ben McAdoo +4500
Marvin Lewis +5000
Mike Zimmer +7500
Gary Kubiak +10000
Andy Reid +10000
Mike Tomlin +10000
Ron Rivera +10000
Mike McCarthy +15000
Pete Carroll +25000
Bill Belichick +25000
Bruce Arians +25000
It's important to note that those odds don't mirror the relative quality of the coach; if they did, there's simply no way several of the names after Bill O'Brien's would be slotted where they are. Additionally, it does stand to reason that coaches who were just hired a few months ago are less likely to get canned before they even finish a single season as the man in charge of their respective franchises.
But O'Brien coming in tied at sixth most likely to be fired before any other head coach? That seems odd.
What's your reaction to O'Brien's spot on this list? Do you really believe he's on the hot seat in 2016?