The National Football League has always been filled with unexpected twists and turns throughout the season.

After promising seasons, head coaches retain their job. But, after rocky seasons, head coaches inevitably face the hot seat.

The 2013 regular season was packed with a number of hot and not-so hot teams. After the 2012 season, the Philadelphia Eagles dethroned head coach Andy Reid and hired Chip Kelly, a prominent college coach. The team’s offense was completely reconstructed, the team ended the season with resurgence, and Kelly led the team to the playoffs, as they won the NFC East division with a 10-6 record.

After being fired in Philly, Andy Reid took over a Kansas City team that needed a boost. Reid turned the team around, started the season with a 9-0 record, and secured a playoff berth.

Coming off a red hot streak in the 2012 season and contending in the playoffs, the Houston Texans made a mockery of themselves. The team ended with a 2-14 record, as they faced quarterback issues throughout the entire season.

In fact, all teams that faced quarterback issues in the 2013 season ended with a disappointing season. As a result, the head coaches were put under pressure and placed on the hot seat.

Here’s a list of NFL head coach firings: 

• Gary Kubiak, head coach of the Houston Texas, was the first to be fired. During the regular season, shortly following a collapse on a Sunday night game versus the Indianapolis Colts, Kubiak was fired.
• Rob Chudzinski, head coach of the Cleveland Browns, was fired the night of Sunday, Dec. 29, proceeding a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Owner, Jimmy Haslam, stated that Cleveland native Chudzinski had to go, as the team didn’t perform.
• Detriot Lions head coach, Jim Schwartz, was ousted after a disappointing season. ESPN analysts harped upon the fact that this was the year that the Lions should have won the division, as the Bears’ quarterback Jay Cutler and Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers were injured for part of the season.
• Washington Redskins head coach, Mike Shanahan, was fired after a disappointing season, in which franchise quarterback Robert Griffin III was unable to produce. Solidifying his departure and firing, Shanahan benched RGIII for the last couple of games.
• Minnesota Vikings head coach, Leslie Frazier, was fired. Frazier left the team after three years. Frazier was fired after the quarterback debacle; Christian Ponder sustained an injury, so Freeman was brought in from the Tampa Bay Bucs, but he didn’t perform. As a result, Cassel was given the opportunity to lead the team.
• Greg Schiano, Tampa  Bay Buccaneers head coach, was fired. Schiano left the team after two disappointing seasons. Critics say a big reason he was fired was because of the way he handled the MRSA situation, as the infection spread through the locker room. Schiano was also hotheaded on the football team, which seemed to work against him.
• Tennessee Titans head coach, Mike Munchak, was fired after being with the franchise for more than thirty years. Munchak left the Titans after being head coach for three seasons.

Here’s a list of recent head coach hirings: 

• The Houston Texans officially introduced former Penn State coach Bill O’Brien as the team’s head coach on Friday, Jan. 3. O’Brien’s excited about the opportunity since the team has the first pick of the 2014 draft. The team will most likely spend the pick on a QB.
• Former Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith was hired as the Tampa Bay Bucs’ new coach. The team announced his arrival on Thursday, Jan. 2. ESPN analysts speculate that Smith was hired in contrast to Schiano’s disciplinarian personality, as Smith is known to be mild and meek.

Needless to say, a bunch of coaches will be circulating throughout the market, as teams are looking to hire head coaches. Don’t count college coaches out either. Eminent college coaches similar to Bill O’Brien, Pete Carroll, Jim Harbaugh, and Chip Kelly would likely fit the role of being a head coach in the NFL.