Which NFL Head Coaches are Getting Fired?

Who's staying and who's going come Black Monday

Welcome to America’s favorite game show…WHO’S GETTING FIRED (crowd applauds)! The game show where we guess which NFL Head Coach will be fired on Monday and forced to rehabilitate their career by becoming the offensive coordinator of Kent State. We wanted to get Wayne Brady to host this episode, but unfortunately, Burds of a Feather runs on a $0 budget, and we have no way of getting in touch with him.

This Monday is Black Monday, the day the season dies for all non-playoff teams and the day that most underperforming head coaches are relieved of their duties. It’s an opportunity for struggling teams to turn the page on a vague new era. A little infusion of hope, like that New Year’s Resolution you have to eat only green vegetables for the entire year.

Being an NFL head coach is a brutal business. There are only 32 of those positions available in the world, which means their jobs are as secure as a phishing email from someone claiming to be a Nigerian prince. Coaches deal with relentless scrutiny into every word they say, every decision they make, and how the team plays week-to-week. It’s like if the city of Philadelphia got together and decided I wasn’t responding to Slack messages at work quickly enough and lobbied for me to be fired.

So let’s take a look at our contestants who will either win the prize of continuing to lead their franchise or be forced to debate Rex Ryan on ESPN next year. Our contestants include:

• Jonathan Gannon, Arizona Cardinals

• Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers

• John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens

• Zac Taylor, Cincinnati Bengals

• Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns

• Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins

• Aaron Glenn, New York Jets

• Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons

• Pete Carroll, Las Vegas Raiders

So without further ado, let’s play WHO’S. GETTING. FIRED!

---

SEAT IS COLD, BUT THE MARRIAGE IS STALE

John Harbaugh (Ravens Head Coach for 18 seasons)

• Record: 8-8 this season (180-112 all-time)

• Fatal Flaw: Can’t get back to the Super Bowl

• Fired coordinators: None

• Showing Improvement: In weeks 1-9 the Ravens ranked 20th on offense and 25th on defense by EPA/Play. In weeks 10-17 they improved to 13th on offense and 9th on defense. They will make the playoffs if they beat the Steelers on Sunday night.

• Controversies: None this season, but Baltimore is coming off an offseason when Harbaugh described cutting kicker Justin Tucker, who was accused of sexual misconduct by 16 massage therapists, as “a complex decision” and didn’t handle that entire situation in the best way.

• Major Injuries: Defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike was out for 14 weeks, and star quarterback Lamar Jackson has been dealing with a hamstring injury all season.

• Outlook for Next Year: The Ravens have all of their picks next year and are middle of the pack in cap space available. A year with a healthy Lamar Jackson could turn the tide.

• Patience of Ownership: The Ravens have only had 3 coaches ever, and two since 1999. They are only a year removed from winning the division two years in a row, and two years removed from losing in the conference championship. So I don’t think ownership is in a rush to make a change.

• VERDICT: NOT FIRED. The Ravens are a season removed from winning the AFC North. The defense has regressed in the past two seasons with the loss of defensive coordinator (and now Seattle Seahawks head coach) Mike McDonald, but they’ve righted the ship in recent weeks. The Ravens could still win the AFC North with a win over Pittsburgh on Sunday night, so I don’t think this is the end of the road for Harbaugh.

Mike Tomlin (Steelers Head Coach for 19 seasons)

• Record: 9-7 this season (192-114 all-time)

• Fatal Flaw: Bad taste in offensive football

• Fired Coordinators This Season: None

• Showing Improvement: In weeks 1-9, Pittsburgh was ranked 13th on offense and 24th on defense by EPA/Play. In weeks 10-17, their offense regressed to 18th, and their defense improved to 10th.

• Controversies: Following a loss to the Packers in October, Cam Heyward mentioned how there’s “not a lot of fight” in the Steelers. Questions about defensive effort have crept up from time to time this year. But overall, Tomlin has run a tight ship. Tomlin also sidestepped issues with wide receiver George Pickens when Pittsburgh shipped him out to Dallas.

• Major Injuries: T.J. Watt out for 3 games

• Outlook for Next Year: Pittsburgh is the second-oldest team in the league with no long-term starter at quarterback. They have 7 picks in the first four rounds of the 2026 NFL draft, but chances for a quick turnaround are low.

• Patience of Ownership: The Steelers have had 3 coaches since 1969, and they’ve haven’t fired any of those coaches. Bill Cowher retired after winning the Super Bowl. Chuck Noll retired in 1991 after 23 seasons.

• VERDICT: NOT FIRED. Pittsburgh literally doesn’t fire coaches, so the only ticket out of town for Tomlin is if he decides to resign or if he and the Rooney family decide to mutually depart ways. Tomlin is a great coach, but his inability to hire competent offensive coordinators or provide stability to that side of the ball has been his downfall. That being said, I don’t see Pittsburgh moving on this season.

Zac Taylor (Bengals Head Coach for 7 seasons)

• Record: 6-10 this season (52-62 all-time)

• Fatal Flaw: Desperately needs Joe Burrow

• Showing Improvement: Improved from 22nd on offense and 32nd on defense in weeks 1-9 to 15th on offense and 18th on defense in weeks 10-17.

• Fired coordinators: None this year, but fired defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo after last season, only to see the defense regress.

• Controversies: None

• Major Injuries: Lost Joe Burrow and Trey Hendrickson both for 9 games

• Outlook for Next Year: The Bengals need a defensive overhaul. They lost 4 games by over 20 points, and the defense held opposing teams under 20 points only 3 times this season. That being said, a fully healthy season of Burrow should raise the floor, and they have the 8th-most cap space in the league for the 2026 offseason.

• Patience of Ownership: The Bengals haven’t won a playoff game in 3 seasons, but owner Mike Brown has only employed two coaches since 2003.

• VERDICT: NOT FIRED. The loss of Joe Burrow gives Taylor some grace, and the Bengals’ offense overperformed with Joe Flacco at the helm. I think Taylor gets another year to lift this team to playoff contention before his seat starts to warm up.

---

SEAT IS MUCH WARMER THAN I’D LIKE

Todd Bowles (Buccaneers Head Coach for 4 seasons)

• Record: 8-9 this season (35-33 with the Buccaneers all-time)

• Fatal Flaw: Needs an offensive coordinator playing on All-Madden

• Showing Improvement: The Buccaneers started the season hot but slowly regressed. Their offense slid from 17th in the league by EPA/Play to 22nd, and their defense slid from 3rd in the league by EPA/Play to 28th. They started off the season 6-2 before finishing the year 2-7.

• Fired coordinators: None

• Controversies: None

• Major Injuries: Pretty much everyone. Baker Mayfield has been dealing with an ankle injury all year. Defensive tackle Calijah Kancey missed 14 games. Running back Bucky Irving missed 7 games, wide receiver Mike Evans missed 9 games, wide receiver Chris Godwin missed 8 games, and right tackle Luke Goedke missed 6 games, among others.

• Outlook for Next Year: The Buccaneers could run it back with a healthy roster, but they have a long list of premium free agents hitting the market next year, including Mike Evans, Lavonte David, and Jamel Dean. They’re middle of the road in cap space.

• Patience of Ownership: The Glazers have had 8 coaches since 2000. Gruden had the longest tenure during that time with 7 seasons. Every other coach had 3 seasons at most until Bowles.

• VERDICT: NOT FIRED. I think Bowles is a season away from the super hot seat. If you take a step back and look at his tenure, Bowles has been a perfectly average coach in Tampa Bay. He inherited a 13-4 Bucs team and went 8-9 in his first year. His best season was last year when Liam Coen (who’s leading the Jaguars to the playoffs) was his offensive coordinator, and the team went 10-7. I think the sheer amount of injuries gives him some cover this year, and if he makes the playoffs, he’ll afford himself a little more grace.

Raheem Morris (Falcons Head Coach for 2 seasons)

• Record: 7-9 this season (15-18 all-time)

• Fatal Flaw: Developing a quarterback

• Showing Improvement: The Falcons improved on offense, going from the 24th-ranked offense weeks 1-9 to the 14th-ranked offense weeks 10-17. They started 3-7 before going 4-2 for the remainder of the season, including big wins over the Buccaneers and the Rams.

• Fired coordinators: None

• Controversies: There was defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s son prankcalling Shadeur Sanders on draft night, but let’s not put that on Raheem

• Major Injuries: They lost right tackle Kaleb McGary all season to a leg injury and starting quarterback Michael Penix for 7 games. The Falcons have the sixth most value lost to injury, according to Sports Info Solutions.

• Outlook for Next Year: The Falcons lost 5 games by one score, including losing to the Patriots by 1 point and losing to the Panthers and Colts in overtime. Wins in one-score games fluctuate from season to season. That being said, Atlanta has no first round in 2026 after trading it to the Rams as part of the James Pearce Jr. deal (one of the worst trades in recent memory). They are towards the bottom of the league in cap space available and have big free agents hitting the market, including Dee Alford, Leonard Floyd, and Kyle Pitts.

• Patience of Ownership: Arthur Blank is frustratingly patient. He’s employed four coaches in the last 15 years. Even Arthur Smith got three straight 7-10 seasons.

• VERDICT: NOT FIRED. The Falcons showed some fight in the latter half of the season. The loss of Michael Penix Jr. gives Morris an excuse. If I were Morris’s agent, I’d use the steady improvement of his offense and the big moments from the defense as evidence that this team is heading in the right direction. Morris is also beloved by players and coaches across the league. The most concerning thing is how inconsistent Penix looked before his injury, but I think Morris gets another season to guide the young quarterback’s development.

Aaron Glenn (Jets Head Coach for 1 Season)

• Record: 3-13

• Fatal Flaw: Coaching the New York Jets

• Showing Improvement: Uhhhh no. The Jets went full Jets like they’ve never Jets’ed before. They went from 26th-ranked offense and defense by EPA/Play to 30th and 31st respectively.

• Fired coordinators: No, but maybe he should

• Controversies: None

• Major Injuries: Lost offensive guard Alijah Vera-Tucker for the season, star wide receiver Garrett Wilson for 9 games, and running back Braelon Allen for 12 games.

• Outlook for Next Year: The Jets are in rebuilding mode. They traded superstar defensive players Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams before the deadline. They have 4 picks in the first two rounds and a host of free agents they can choose not to re-sign to reset the franchise, including Quincey Williams, Breece Hall, and Alijah Vera-Tucker.

• Patience of Ownership: No one would describe Woody Johnson as patient. He’s had 8 coaches since the turn of the century. Rex Ryan was the longest tenured at 6 seasons. Robert Saleh lasted 3 seasons with 3 straight losing records.

• VERDICT: NOT FIRED. The Jets are burning all the crops and hoping new ones grow. They’re ripping this thing down to the studs. I think Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey get at least 3 seasons to show upward mobility before Woody pulls the plug.

---

SEAT IS ON THE SURFACE OF THE SUN

Kevin Stefanski (Browns Head Coach for 6 Seasons)

• Record: 4-12 this season (44-56 all-time)

• Fatal Flaw: Regressing offense and quarterback decision-making

• Showing Improvement: Not at all. They’ve been ranked 31st on offense by EPA/Play all season with a top-ten defense that’s regressed slightly.

• Fired coordinators: None this season, but he has gone through two offensive coordinators in his tenure.

• Controversies: Unfortunately, Stefanski was caught up in the Deshaun Watson saga that crippled Cleveland’s franchise. More recently, his decision to start rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel over rookie quarterback Shadeur Sanders has caught a lot of heat as Shadeur looks like the more talented prospect and the one who should’ve started all season.

• Major Injuries: Lost offensive tackle Dawand Jones for 13 games

• Outlook for Next Year: Stefanski has only won 1 playoff game in his tenure with the team. Cleveland has two first-round picks next year (their own and Jacksonville’s after the Travis Hunter trade), and they currently own the 6th pick in the draft. That being said, they only have $8 million in cap space in 2026, and pretty much their entire offensive line will be free agents and are over 30 years old.

• Patience of Ownership: Stefanski has been given the longest leash of any Browns coach since the Haslams became majority owners. Since 2012, Browns coaches have averaged 2 years on the job with 3 one-and-dones.

• VERDICT: FIRED! Stefanski’s coach of the year magic has run out. If the NFL has a hell, it’s in Cleveland. The Browns are in for a long, arduous rebuild (as they typically are). They lack the talent on the offensive side of the ball to compete with the contenders, and Stefanski has shown that he doesn’t have the answers. While Stefanski is a solid coach, I think this relationship has run its course.

Mike McDaniel (Dolphins Head Coach for 4 Seasons)

• Record: 7-9 this season (35-32 all-time)

• Fatal Flaw: Being tied to a limiting quarterback and an inability to set a defined culture

• Showing Improvement: The Dolphins cratered to start the season, going 1-6 in their first 7 games. They improved to 6-3 in their next 9 games. Their offense and defense improved from being ranked 27th and 28th by EPA/Play, respectively to 8th and 15th.

• Fired coordinators: None this season

• Controversies: McDaniel has dealt with his fair share of controversies, mostly regarding the team’s culture. Players called out the team in the offseason for lacking toughness, and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has called out coaches and teammates in press conferences for lack of accountability and leadership multiple times throughout the season. Not to mention, Tyreek Hill alluded to the fact that he’d like to be traded at the end of last season.

• Major Injuries: The Dolphins have the 5th-most value lost to injury according to Sports Info Solutions. They lost offensive lineman Germain Ifedi for the season and Austin Jackson for 10 games. Their star wide receiver Tyreek Hill also missed 12 games.

• Outlook for Next Year: The Dolphins have had back-to-back losing seasons and need a talent overhaul. They have 5 picks in the first 3 rounds of the draft next year, but lack significant cap space. Players returning from injury should help, but the Dolphins need an infusion of talent to shift their identity.

• Patience of Ownership: Stephen Ross fired General Manager Chris Grier in the middle of the season. Since Ross became the majority owner in 2009, he’s employed 7 coaches, including interim head coaches Dan Campbell (yes, the Dolphins could’ve had Dan Campbell as their head coach) and Todd Bowles (they could’ve also had Todd Bowles). McDaniel is the only coach to last 4 full seasons.

• VERDICT: NOT FIRED. The Dolphins’ improvements over the latter half of the season show that McDaniel still has some juice. But moving on from Tua Tagovailoa and Chris Grier means that McDaniel is the last man standing at the rodeo. I think he gets one more season to show what he can do with quarterback Quinn Ewers or a veteran who can raise the ceiling for this offense. Owner Stephen Ross can be impulsive, so things can change. But for now, I think McDaniel is safe.

Jonathan Gannon (Cardinals Head Coach for 3 Seasons)

• Record: 3-13 this season (15-35 all-time)

• Fatal Flaw: Losing close games

• Showing Improvement: Arizona is on an 8-game losing streak. In weeks 1-9, they had the 18th-ranked offense and 16th-ranked defense by EPA/Play. In weeks 10-17, the offense and defense regressed to 27th and 29th.

• Controversies: Remember that time Gannon hit running back Emari Demarcado in the shoulder pad after Demarcado fumbled the ball? Not great.

• Major Injuries: The Cardinals rank number 1 in total points missed due to injury by Sports Info Solutions. Their roster is an infirmary, especially at the running back position. They lost starting running back James Connor for the season in week 3 and backup Trey Benson for 9 games. Quarterback Kyler Murray missed 8 games, and they lost both of their starting cornerbacks for the year. Wide receiver Marvin Harrison also missed 4 games.

• Outlook for Next Year: A fully healthy roster alone should help them improve, but this team desperately needs a quarterback. They lost 8 games by one score, which could fluctuate next year. Arizona currently has the 5th pick in the draft, and Gannon could reset the clock on himself by getting a rookie starting QB. That being said, moving on from Kyler Murray would give the Cardinals $54.7 million in dead money to deal with, while gaining them just $1.5 million in cap space.

• Patience of Ownership: The Cardinals have had 6 coaches in the past 20 years. 5 out of those 6 have had three or more years before being fired. Only 3 of those coaches got over 3 years. Whisenhunt got 6, Arians got 5, and Kingsbury got 4, but they all made the playoffs at least once. Denny Green was fired after 3 straight losing seasons. Gannon also has 3 straight losing seasons.

• VERDICT: FIRED! Gannon was brought in to maximize a roster with budding talent and to figure out the Kyler Murray problem. While Arizona has been locked into tight contests, the team still lacks significant improvement on either side of the ball. Gannon coaches with the energy of Marty Mauser, but that fiery attitude can come back to bite him sometimes. With the 5th pick in the draft, this is a chance for Arizona to start fresh with an offensive-minded head coach who can help a newly drafted young quarterback grow. It’s a chance to hit the reset button for a team that needs it.

Pete Carroll (Raiders Head Coach for 1 Season)

• Record: 2-14 this season

• Fatal Flaw: Father Time/Hiring his son as offensive line coach

• Showing Improvement: LOL

• Fired coordinators: Fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly midseason

• Controversies: None

• Major Injuries: Lost left tackle Kolton Miller for 12 games

• Outlook for Next Year: There’s hope, maybe? The Raiders have 5 picks in the first 4 rounds of next year’s draft and the 3rd most cap space. They also have young building blocks in Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers. That being said, they were one of the healthiest teams in the league and were still terrible, so the talent deficit is huge.

• Patience of Ownership: Mark Davis’ patience is as short as his bowl cut. Since Davis took over the franchise from his father in 2011, he’s employed 10 coaches, including interim head coaches. No coach has lasted more than 3 seasons. That includes two one-and-dones (Hue Jackson and Antonio Pierce).

• Verdict: Fired. The only thing that could save Pete Carroll is the emptiness of Mark Davis’s wallet. Davis has been shoveling out money to a slew of head coaches whom he has fired before their contracts ended. But if Mark can find it in his purse strings, moving on from Carroll would be a great choice. The 74-year-old Carroll is a bad fit for a rebuilding team looking to take the long road to becoming competitive. He was supposed to instill a culture of toughness and professionalism for a franchise that desperately needed it, but he’s failed to do so. Accepting the sunk cost and splitting up might be best.