Black Monday is here and the coaches are starting to drop. As I’m typing, there are currently six positions opened. Two happened earlier in the season with the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans. Four from yesterday/today: Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, and Arizona Cardinals. None have been shocking but Pete Carroll out after only one season is harsh though deserved.
Who are the hot ticket this time around like Ben Johnson last year?
I don’t think there are any hot ticket candidates this season. Most of them were snapped up last season.
At this point, the top candidates are probably HC re-treads, like Robert Saleh or Kliff Kingsbury or Spags. And apparently even Mike McCarthy got at least a cursory look, if not a deeper one, by the Giants.
The other top OC/DC candidates without previous HC experience could all really use a bit more seasoning or are otherwise questionable. That won’t stop them getting interviews and jobs but it’s not looking like a great season to go looking for a coach of the future unless you’re willing to play the big risk/big reward game.
I just watched some talking head on ESPN state that of all the thus-far open positions, the Giants coaching job is the most desirable.
And according to Fox4KC, the Titans have requested to interview both Matt Nagy and Steve Spagnuolo, OC and DC of the Chiefs.
Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing Nagy leave the organization. Chiefs offense was rather pathetic this year.
Do coordinators qualify for this thread? Because Dallas has fired DC Matt Eberflus.
I think the main coordinators count. With shifting positions, it can impact HC vacancies as well if someone removes themselves from consideration by taking an open coordinator position.
Washington has booted both OC Kliff Kingsbury and DC Joe Whitt.
Whitt makes perfect sense. That was one of the worst defenses in the league.
Kingsbury is a bit of a surprise. They said it was a ‘mutual’ decision but this may actually be a case when it really was. Washington’s issue was not at all the offense, and he’s going to be one of the more sought out candidates this cycle. Washington may have wanted to start their coordinator search without the pretense he was going to stick around.
Another coaching position opened up.
Wow, not totally unexpected but that’s still wild.
That’s going to be a tough act to follow. Plus there are probably a few teams that have already contacted him and shortlisted him
He and Stefanski both I imagine.
The Guardian just wrote yesterday that Harbaugh’s inability to get the most out of “a once in a lifetime talent” is a fireable failing. I guess the Ravens agreed.
For years, Harbaugh’s strategic vision – which is vital in win-or-go-home games – has dimmed. The best coaches store up sneak attacks for specific opponents, pick on weak spots until they gush blood and go to creative lengths to hide the deficiencies on their own rosters. Being late finding the right countermove can cost you a game, a playoff berth or a championship. The margin for error is that small, and Harbaugh doesn’t seem to have the goods. And in the biggest moments, his teams play tight.
I saw a list of QBs the Browns have started over just the last 5 years (it’s a shockingly long list, which is damning by itself). The best, by far, is Baker Mayfield 
. And Watson was a Jimmy Haslam decision, which led to severe roster restrictions that the greatest of coaches could hardly be expected to work around.
Given all that, Stefanski actually did a pretty good job. Other teams apparently think so as well. You’d think it would be clear if anybody should be fired (other than Haslam), it should be Andrew Berry but Haslam’s gonna Haslam.
There are a lot of Super Bowl winning coaches looking for work now (yes I’m including Belichick even though he’s employed).
I know Jim Schwartz didn’t work out as Lions HC but he is an excellent defensive coordinator. He’s a good pickup for any team DC. Should maybe even get another try at HC.
I would take John Harbaugh for the Browns.
Think they’re interviewing Ravens OC Todd Monken. Also, if Harbaugh goes then the defensive coordinator needs to go. If it hadn’t been for repeated late game collapses by the defense Sunday’s game would have been meaningless.
I think it would be wonderful if he went to the Raiders.
Har-bowl twice a year? It would be fun.
Also, Detroit fired their OC. One of the more talented offensive opportunities opened up. This year alone Goff was 2nd is passing yards and TDs. Amon-Ra and Waymo were both top 10 in receiving yards. Gibbs is still one of the most talented backs and Monty is a fantastic number 2.
The problems: LaPorta is great but is risky. Apparently his injury was a herniated disc and could have long term problems even after surgery. His injury coincided with a noticeable drop in team scoring. The o-line has a solid young core. But they need long term solutions at C and LT. They were too inexperienced and thin in depth this last year.
Haha, yeah, so he’d be in the same division as Jim, and also, I bet John could really get a lot out of Ashton Jeanty. And John would be in a position to draft anyone he wanted to, since he’d get the #1 overall pick. I like the idea of that.
The Raiders need to be in major rebuild mode, and Harbaugh knows what a Super Bowl winning team looks like. I think it might depend on how much control they’re willing to give whoever they hire as head coach. I expect Harbaugh would demand a lot (as you’d expect from someone with his accomplishments). I just hope they wouldn’t expect a miracle in the first year.
You mean how much control they’re willing to give Tom Brady?
I mean, how much control they give the HC as opposed to Tom Brady.
I can’t imagine it’s a secret that he has an inordinate amount of pull there. Especially since he’ll be directly involved in picking the next HC.
He actually has Cleveland connections, he was born in Ohio, both parents came from around Cleveland, and he was a Browns fan growing up. If he wants to get revenge on his old franchise this would be a chance, although I kind of hate the “revenge” narrative because it suggests that every player that parted ways / was cut from a team hates them and I doubt that’s all that common. I doubt those are huge factors and being coach of a team for 50 years probably makes you a bigger fan of them than your childhood favorite team, but hey, at least there’s maybe something there.