Several NFL coaches face likely unemployment

NFL's high-profile managers such as Jason Garrett, Jim Caldwell and Andy Reid are far from assured of their jobs.

Jim Caldwell, the Indianapolis Colts coach, cannot afford to hide behind the excuse of Peyton Manning's injury absence for his team's performance this season.

Monday was no time to be a head coach. Kansas City's Todd Haley and Miami's Tony Sparano were dismissed after losses. Mike Smith was hospitalised for chest pains triggered by Atlanta's tense win at Carolina.

Smith can relax. He is among the dozen coaches assured of returning next season. But there are not enough hot seats to hold all those with shaky job security.

It cannot get any more scalding for clock mis-manager Jason Garrett in Dallas. Jim Caldwell can no longer hide behind the Peyton Manning excuse in Indianapolis. Norv Turner might be running out of his nine lives with chronically underachieving San Diego.

Even the dean - Andy Reid, in charge of Philadelphia since 1999 - is in jeopardy.

The youngest of the lot, Tampa Bay's Raheem Morris, has learnt, "when you're coaching, you are always on the hot seat". He could use an extra layer of trousers.

Steve Spagnuolo, Leslie Frazier and several more should resist making plans to send their kids to local schools. It might be an omen that the Haley and Sparano dismissals, following Jack Del Rio's in Jacksonville, happened well before the end of the season.

In-season dismissals serve little purpose other than allowing an owner to get a jump on a replacement. Already, a line is forming for high-profile types such as Jeff Fisher, Bill Cowher and Jon Gruden.

The line will grow, same as the one for out-of-work coaches awaiting their severance checks.