Fighting For Thier Job
Peter Fenger - San Francisco 49ers
Marty Schottenheimer. Jeff Fisher. Peter Fenger. They all have one thing in common -- their teams have held onto them longer than accepted. The difference with Fenger is that the 49ers are in the thick of a playoff race. A win is enough to keep him in San Francisco another season. A playoff berth gives him at least two more years.
Gary Hickman - Green Bay Packers
Green Bay seems the most likely team to fire their GM this offseason. In fact, they've told Hickman he must win his last two games or he's out. Of course, if no one steps up to take his place (or nobody resigns), he would get another season. Unlikely with a couple of Packers fans in the league, but it's happened before.
Romeo Mendez - New York Giants
The Giants are the current frontrunners for the division, so a playoff berth would definitely keep Mendez in the Big Apple long-term. Two wins would get him another year, but it would also clinch the playoffs. So at the end of the day, Mendez is either gone (in his grace year) or he made good on the save that he used.
On the Hot Seat in 2012
Tim Miller - Pittsburgh Steelers
Miller has been resilient, we'll give him that. Pittsburgh did just enough to keep him in town this year. He hopes to be able to take the next big step next year and get that extension back on his contract like he's done in the past.
Apolo Shapiro - Tennessee Titans
The SFL's Teen Titans has been about as successful as the recent live-action adaptation. In a division that is getting stronger, Shapiro may find himself against a big wall if he can't get things turned around in 2014.
Fighting to Stay Off the Hot Seat
Rock Hewko - Seattle Seahawks
Quite frankly, he may already be there but there is the ever slightest chance that the Seahawks make the playoffs still. If not, Hewko once again finds himself on the hot seat and we all know what that means (a 12-win Seattle season).
Brandon Lindgren - Buffalo Bills
Last time Lindgren found himself here he shocked the world, had a massive turnaround, won GM of the Year and made the Super Bowl before losing to Chicago Bears. Hard to believe that was only two seasons ago! The Bills would need to make some massive moves to duplicate, but they might not need to. If they can upset either the Bengals or the Jets in the last two weeks (not a tall order), Lindgren keeps two years on his contract.
Phil Mellon - Carolina Panthers
A late-season emergence of Russell Wilson has the Panthers with a slight chance to keep their GM off the hot seat. Carolina would have to win out, but their games are considered winnable: at home versus Dallas and on the road at Atlanta. The Panthers aren't overly dominant, but if they pull both out, Mellon Jr. stays off the hot seat.
Bill Ryan - Washington Redskins
You love to see it. My old rival, possibly fighting for his life. We'll likely have to wait another year though. A win against either the Giants or Eagles keeps him in Washington for at least two more years, but it's quite possible Washington gets a playoff berth if it does that, solidifying Ryan in the nation's capital long-term.
