Buccaneers' Dirk Koetter Named the Favorite to Be First NFL Coach Fired

Which NFL head coach will be the first one fired in 2018?

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First-year head coaches do not get fired often in any sport no matter how bad of a job they do, especially in the NFL. After all, Hue Jackson has gone an embarrassing 1-31 in his first two seasons leading the Cleveland Browns, yet even he is back for a third year in 2018 in an effort to prove he is a solid head coach.

That said, Jackson is the +350 second choice (bet $100 to win $350) at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com on the odds to be the first NFL head coach fired this season as he looks to lead the Browns to a respectable record amidst many personnel moves.

Cleveland saw three different quarterbacks play under center during the 2017 regular season, and none of them are currently on the roster as the preseason draws to a close. That should tell you all you need to know about the upgrades the team made at the position in the offseason between trading for veteran Tyrod Taylor and selecting Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Jackson is on the hot seat, as he will not have many excuses if the Browns fail again.

However, the +250 favorite to be the first head coach fired in 2018 is Dirk Koetter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers off a disappointing 5-11 campaign. Koetter went 9-7 in his first year in Tampa Bay before regressing, and now he must deal with the loss of starting quarterback Jameis Winston for three games due to a suspension. The Buccaneers play in a very tough division, so it will be hard for them to perform better this season.

Vance Joseph (+650) of the Denver Broncos and Adam Gase (+750) of the Miami Dolphins are two more AFC head coaches who could be the first to go, and neither can afford to take another step backward. But the head coach with the most value who must bounce back in 2018 is in the NFC—Jason Garrett of the Dallas Cowboys.

At +3300, Garrett is the best bet on the board considering he has been in Dallas since 2007 when he started as an offensive coordinator, and the franchise is extremely hungry for another Super Bowl appearance. If quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott fail to lead the Cowboys back to the playoffs and instead endure a losing season, Garrett could very well be gone and looking for another coaching job.