3 More NFL Coaches Out After ‘Black Monday’

Among the 18 teams not making the playoffs, six teams have parted ways with their head coaches.
3 More NFL Coaches Out After ‘Black Monday’
Head coach Pete Carroll of the Las Vegas Raiders looks on during the second quarter of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Jan. 4, 2026. Ian Maule/Getty Images
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Three more head coaching jobs opened up on the first day after the NFL regular season, popularly known as “Black Monday.”

Among the 18 teams not making the playoffs, six teams in total have parted ways with their head coaches. Two of them did it ahead of time in the middle of the regular season—the New York Giants with Brian Daboll and the Tennessee Titans with Brian Callahan. The Atlanta Falcons made their move on Sunday night.

“Black Monday” started with the Cleveland Browns firing head coach Kevin Stefanski, a two-time NFL Coach of the Year, who served in the role for six seasons. Stefanski coached the Browns to a pair of playoff appearances in 2020 and 2023 and the first playoff win since 1994.

However, things turned south for Stefanski in Cleveland with a 3–14 record in 2024 and a 5–12 mark in 2025. Despite that downturn, general manager Andrew Berry remains on board.

“We have tremendous gratitude for Kevin’s leadership of the Cleveland Browns over the last six seasons,” Browns managing and principal partners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement on Monday. “He is a good football coach and an even better person. We appreciate all his hard work and dedication to our organization, but our results over the last two seasons have not been satisfactory, and we believe a change at the head coaching position is necessary. We wish Kevin, Michelle, and the Stefanski family all the best in the future.”

The Las Vegas Raiders will also seek a new head coach after parting ways with the oldest head coach in the league, 74-year-old Pete Carroll. His results were left wanting with a 3–14 record, tied for the worst mark in the league.

“We appreciate and wish him and his family all the best,” Raiders owner Mark Davis said in a statement on Monday. “Moving forward, general manager John Spytek will lead all football operations in close collaboration with [minority owner] Tom Brady, including the search for the club’s next head coach. Together, they will guide football decisions with a shared focus on leadership, culture, and alignment with the organization’s long-term vision and goals.”

The Arizona Cardinals also went 3–14 and then fired head coach Jonathan Gannon on Monday. He had a 15–36 overall record in his three seasons with the Cardinals.

“He made us better, but this is a league about wins and losses,” Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill said in a statement on Monday. “The wins and losses speak for themselves, especially this year. We felt we were going in the wrong direction and we needed to change course.”

The Atlanta Falcons made the biggest changes of any team by firing both the head coach and general manager on Sunday night. Falcons owner Arthur Blank terminated both head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot on the heels of another losing season.

“I have great personal affinity for both Raheem and Terry and appreciate their hard work and dedication to the Falcons, but I believe we need new leadership in these roles moving forward,” Blank said in a statement on Sunday night. “The decision to move away from people who represent the organization so well and have a shared commitment to the values that are important to the organization is not an easy one, but the results on the field have not met our expectations or those of our fans and leadership. I wish Raheem and Terry the absolute best in their future pursuits.”

While six coaches are out as of “Black Monday,” there are others who are still in the hot seat. That includes two playoff-bound head coaches. Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has been under fire for not delivering a deep playoff run since 2016. Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott likewise has been in the hot seat for lack of a Super Bowl appearance.

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh’s future has been in question after missing the playoffs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles has been under pressure due to his team missing the playoffs and finishing with a losing season for the second time in four years.

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel likewise has been in the hot seat with losing seasons and missing the playoffs for two consecutive years. Meanwhile, Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen and Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor have been relieved of the hot seat despite disappointing finishes in 2025.

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Matthew Davis
Matthew Davis
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Matthew Davis is an experienced, award-winning journalist who has covered major professional and college sports for years. His writing has appeared on Heavy, the Star Tribune, and The Catholic Spirit. He has a degree in mass communication from North Dakota State University.