The NFL postseason is finally here, and with it comes the chance for players and coaches alike to cement their legacies. But along with that opportunity comes immense pressure, especially for accomplished head coaches who either have yet to win a Super Bowl or still have something to prove to their current fan bases. For some, this postseason may define how their tenure is remembered. Here are the head coaches facing the most pressure going into the playoffs.

5. Sean Payton – Broncos

Sean Payton has done a terrific job in Denver, and he will almost certainly maintain the support of the fan base regardless of how this postseason plays out. That said, this feels like the year for both Payton and the Broncos.

They enter the playoffs as the top seed in the AFC with home-field advantage throughout. The defense is elite, and the offense is trending upward at the right time. With the AFC as wide open as it has been in years, the window is there. If Denver doesn’t capitalize now, fair questions will arise about whether they ever will.

4. Mike Tomlin – Steelers

The narrative around Mike Tomlin is that he can have this job as long as he wants. But I can’t help but question how safe that really is. If John Harbaugh and the Ravens can eventually go their separate ways, why would Pittsburgh and Tomlin be immune forever?

If the Steelers lose to the Texans in the Wild Card round, it would mark nine straight seasons without a playoff win. Tomlin is a legend, but even legends are judged by postseason success. At some point, the noise only gets louder unless the wins start coming.

3. Jim Harbaugh – Chargers

Like the coaches above him, Harbaugh has enjoyed plenty of success throughout his career. But playoff wins have been elusive in recent years, both for him since returning to the NFL and for his star quarterback, Justin Herbert.

The Chargers appear to have nearly everything needed for a deep run: a franchise QB, an elite defense, and a proven coaching staff. If this team once again stalls out in January, it’s hard not to believe that Harbaugh will shoulder a significant portion of the blame.

2. Matt LaFleur – Packers

After the 2023 season, when LaFleur and a young Packers team upset the No. 2 seed Cowboys and nearly knocked off the top-seeded 49ers, the future in Green Bay couldn’t have looked brighter. Two years later, the Packers still haven’t taken that next step into the league’s true elite.

Now they face their bitter rival, Chicago, in the Wild Card round. And there may be nothing that turns up the heat faster than a playoff loss to your biggest enemy. For LaFleur, this postseason feels like a defining moment.

1. Sean McDermott – Bills

There is no question that the coach under the most pressure this postseason is Sean McDermott. In truth, the Bills as an organization carry more weight than any other team right now.

With the Chiefs, Ravens, and Bengals all missing the playoffs, the path has never been clearer. For a franchise that has hovered on the brink of greatness for nearly a decade, this feels like the golden opportunity to finally break through and reach the Super Bowl. If it doesn’t happen now, when does it?

The pressure is squarely on McDermott and the Bills to get it done.

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