The NFL regular season has come to an end, and with it will likely come a changing of the guard among current head coaches.
Every year on “Black Monday,” the first Monday after the conclusion of the regular season, sees a wave of head coaches and front office executives fired as teams that had disappointing seasons begin to shift leadership within of the organization.
Last year, there were two coaches fired the day after the season ended. The Chargers fired Anthony Lynn and the Jaguars fired Doug Marrone. Two teams already have interim head coaches, with Darrell Bevell heading the Jaguars after Urban Meyer was fired and Rich Bisaccia serving as the Raiders coach after Jon Gruden’s resignation.
Several other teams are likely to turn to new coaches to guide their teams in the 2022 season. Sporting News is tracking which teams are making manager changes on “Black Monday.”
NFL coaches fired
- Vic Fangio, Broncos
- Urban Meyer, Jaguares
- Jon Gruden, Raiders (resigned)
This section will be updated.
NFL coaches on the bench
Will the Bears fire Matt Nagy?
There has long been talk that this will be the last season in Chicago for Matt Nagy. The 2018 NFL Coach of the Year has led the Bears into their first losing season under his leadership, but it will be the second time in his four years at the helm that Chicago has missed the playoffs.
Much of the concern with Nagy at the helm has been the inability to develop first-round quarterbacks. Mitch Trubisky was second overall in 2017, but he never became the star the Bears hoped for. After a troubled season of the No. 11 pick in the 2021 overall pick, Justin Fields, the Bears are looking for someone who can ensure the former Ohio State caller is the face of the franchise going forward.
Nagy reportedly came into Sunday’s game against the Vikings knowing it would be his last with the Bears. And the saturday, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported that Sunday would be his last game as Chicago coach.
Boomer has been told that Matt Nagy has been told that he will not return as head coach of the Chicago Bears.
– Morning show with Boomer and Gio (@WFANmornings) January 5, 2022
Will the Seahawks fire Pete Carroll?
Pete Carroll has led the Seahawks to levels of success unprecedented in franchise history. They made the playoffs in five straight seasons, including back-to-back Super Bowl appearances in 2013 and 2014, the first of which brought a title to Seattle for the first time. The Seahawks ended up in the basement in 2021 for the first time since Carroll took office, and he admitted it’s been a frustrating season. It also looks like it could be the last one in Seattle.
Carroll’s vocal disappointment in the team has led fans to ask him to leave the coach with the most wins in team history. However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said 710 AM Seattle that Carroll still has a lot of influence over the team, and that he is more likely to retire or resign than to be fired by the organization. That hasn’t stopped speculation from others like Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, talking to 670 The Score, that Carroll could be on the move and that he could be an option for a team like the Bears.
Will the Vikings fire Mike Zimmer?
Another change in the NFC North could come after Sunday’s game between the Vikings and the Bears. Minnesota has posted its second straight losing season, the first time it has had two consecutive years below .500 since Mike Zimmer took over as head coach. It was also the second season that the Vikings’ defense was one of the worst in the league.
The Vikings property reportedly met last week to discuss personnel changes involving the head coach and general manager positions, with The Atlético report that a move could be made on Monday about the future of Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman. La Canfora reported for CBS Sports on Saturday the team is expected to leave Zimmer at the end of the season.
Will the Giants fire Joe Judge?
Back in december a report came out from SNY that Giants co-owner John Mara has kept faith that Joe Judge is the right head coach to stay in New York. Instead, the biggest replacement for New York this offseason appears to be in the front office, with the likely retirement or firing of general manager Dave Gettleman. Reports have circulated for a while that Gettleman will not be returning, but despite the second straight losing season under Judge, it could appear that he is safe.
Judge launched a strange tirade after his team’s crushing loss to the Bears in Week 17, where he defended his team and said many former New York players would like to continue playing for the Giants. It’s possible that the performance since that report (0-3 record, outscored by 84-19) combined with his tirade could prompt Mara to fire both Gettleman and Judge and hit the reset button again. But since Tom Coughlin’s resignation, no Giants coach has lasted more than two seasons. New York might want to end that streak and give Judge one last chance to change course.
Will the Broncos fire Vic Fangio?
When George Paton took over as general manager of the Broncos in 2021, it was reported that Vic Fangio had to make the playoffs in 2021 or would be out after the season. The Broncos missed the postseason, but even after the chase elimination, Fangio remained in command.
That certainly doesn’t mean that Fangio will be around in 2022. Florio reported in December that Fangio was already a candidate to be fired. With new owners joining the team in 2022 and already working under a general manager who didn’t hire him, Fangio could come up with new faces at the top looking for a change. La Canfora reported that Fangio is not expected to return after his team’s last game against the Chiefs on Saturday.
Update: The Broncos fired Vic Fangio Sunday morning following his 28-24 loss to the Chiefs in Week 18. He was 19-30 in three seasons as head coach.