The NFL regular season has drawn to a close. Black Sunday and Monday are upon us, and we’ll find out which coaches won’t be back for the 2026 season.
The first victims of the week were Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot, who were both fired on Sunday after the Falcons finished the season 8-9. Former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan also could be returning to the organization in a new role as president of football.
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On Monday, the Browns parted ways with head coach Kevin Stefanski. The Browns suffered their fourth losing record in six years under Stefanski, as well as a second straight year picking in the top six of the draft. The cataclysmic Deshaun Watson trade is partly on Stefanski, who recruited him in the spring of 2022, and for all of Stefanski’s offensive acumen, none of the 13 quarterbacks who’ve started under his watch has proven to be the long-term solution.
Two hours after Stefanski was let go, the Raiders parted ways with coach Pete Carroll after just one season. Carroll was supposed to bring stability to the franchise, but it was more losing under the 74-year-old former Super Bowl winner.
Not long after that, it was reported that the Arizona Cardinals were parting ways with Jonathan Gannon following his third straight losing season.
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Two head coaches, the Tennessee Titans’ Brian Callahan and the New York Giants’ Brian Daboll, lost their jobs during the season. Another whose status might have been in question, Indianapolis’ Shane Steichen, is reportedly returning next season, along with general manager Chris Ballard. The Cincinnati Bengals answered a similar question Monday, announcing the return of head coach Zac Taylor and general manager Duke Tobin for another season.
Here are the other names to keep an eye on this week, plus the latest coaching news updates.
Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins
Record with team: 35-35 (including playoffs), fourth season
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Why he might get fired: The story of the McDaniel era (thus far) is starting with a bang and petering out, both in the micro and macro. He made the playoffs his first two seasons (including a hallowed 70 burger against the Broncos), but lost six of the last seven in 2022 and four of his last six in 2023. Since then, his motion-heavy, speed-oriented offense has been less effective against the league as a whole, and off-field issues (including players reportedly running out defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who won a Super Bowl with the Eagles last season) suggest McDaniel doesn’t have much command of the locker room.
Why he might be safe: Tua Tagovailoa’s limitations and concussion concerns have limited the Dolphins, and if they don’t bring him back next season, the salary cap hit would be so big that team owner Stephen Ross might decide it’s worth keeping McDaniel around one more year to get out from under it.
Aaron Glenn, New York Jets
Record with team: 3-14, first season
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Why he might get fired: The Jets have been largely non-competitive, and that’s not what anyone expected in Glenn’s first season. He earned respect as a Pro Bowl player and the Lions’ defensive coordinator the past few seasons, but the Jets’ defense has regressed, the quarterback play has been bad, and the Jets were big-time sellers at the trade deadline. Justin Fields was benched in November and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks was fired in December. There aren’t many more heads to roll here.
Why he might be safe: At the league meetings in October, team owner Woody Johnson was candid that the Jets’ problems were at QB, not with Glenn. That carries a lot of weight, and Johnson’s stance reportedly hasn’t changed. The Jets also have five first-round draft picks in the next two drafts, and there’s ample opportunity for Glenn to reshape the franchise in his image.
John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
Record with team: 193-124 (including playoffs), 18th season
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Why he might get fired: The Ravens were surprisingly mediocre this season, and it can’t all be attributed to Lamar Jackson’s injuries. Their defense yo-yo’d between outright bad and competent, and some of Harbaugh’s in-game decisions have drawn scrutiny. Harbaugh has failed to get back to the Super Bowl with a two-time MVP quarterback in Jackson, and there’s a general sense that a breath of fresh air at head coach might be good for the Ravens.
Why he might be safe: This is only Harbaugh’s third losing season, and the stability he brings the organization is valuable. If he’s not back, it won’t be because he became a bad coach overnight.
Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Record with team: 36-36 (including playoffs), fourth season
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Why he might get fired: Despite winning Saturday against the Panthers, the Saints’ defeat Sunday blocked the Bucs from the postseason. Entering Week 18, Bowles’ Buccaneers lost seven of eight. The downturn came as they got healthier, which was confusing. There were some bad losses, and for a coach without a great career record, maybe there isn’t a reason to believe things will be decidedly better in the 2026 season.
Why he might be safe: Bowles was on the verge of his fourth straight division title, albeit in a mediocre NFC South. This is the first time in Bowles’ run with Tampa that the Bucs haven’t made the postseason.
NFL coaching news live blogLive14 updates
Mon, January 5, 2026 at 12:04 p.m. EST
Criss Partee
The Arizona Cardinals will be searching for a new head coach this offseason after firing Jonathan Gannon on Monday. Gannon led the Cardinals to three losing seasons, culminating in a 3-14, 2025 campaign. Before becoming Arizona’s head coach in 2023, Gannon was the defensive coordinator in Philadelphia for two years.
Mon, January 5, 2026 at 11:26 a.m. EST
Criss Partee
Head coach Pete Carroll has been fired by the Las Vegas Raiders after just one season, the team announced on Monday.
The Raiders concluded a disappointing 2025 campaign on Sunday with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs, bringing their record to 3-14 to end the season. Carroll signed a three-year deal last year, and the Raiders finished with one of the worst records in the NFL and ranked last in the league in multiple offensive categories on offense.
Las Vegas also locked up the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Now that the Raiders officially own the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, it is suspected by many that they may select Heisman Trophy winner, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
Mon, January 5, 2026 at 11:18 a.m. EST
Criss Partee
The Tennessee Titans have requested interviews with Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, and Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. Of the four potential candidates, only Anarumo has never been a head coach in the NFL.
Mon, January 5, 2026 at 10:20 a.m. EST
Chris Cwik
The New York Giants will make one major change ahead of the 2026 NFL season, but one person in power will stick around. General manager Joe Schoen will reportedly return to the team after it went 4-13 in 2025, per the New York Post.
Schoen was initially hired by the Giants ahead of the 2022 NFL season.
The team hasn’t been very productive under Schoen since then. After making the playoffs in 2022, the Giants have gone 13-38 over the past three seasons.
Despite the struggles, Schoen may have found some talent in the 2025 NFL Draft. Jaxson Dart proved to be a playmaker at quarterback and Cam Skattebo looked like an impact runner before a devastating ankle injury.
That may have allowed Schoen to retain his job for another season. He’ll have another chance to add an elite talent ahead of next season, as the Giants pick fifth in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Mon, January 5, 2026 at 10:07 a.m. EST
Chris Cwik
The Cincinnati Bengals will run it back following a disappointing 2025 NFL season. The team announced Monday that both head coach Zac Taylor and general manager Duke Tobin will return in 2026.
The status of both men were in question after the Bengals went just 6-11 this season.
The move ensures Taylor will return for his eighth season with the Bengals. He’s put together a 52-63-1 record with the team, including leading it to the Super Bowl
Mon, January 5, 2026 at 9:17 a.m. EST
Chris Cwik
The Cleveland Browns are making changes after going 5-12 in 2025. The team fired head coach Kevin Stefanski on Monday, hours after the Browns beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18.
The team confirmed the news in a statement, saying general manager Andrew Berry will lead the coaching search.
Stefanski experienced highs and lows in six seasons on the job. After leading the team to the playoffs in his first season, Stefanski’s Browns hovered around .500 over the next two years before another playoff appearance in 2023.
But things bottomed out from there, with the team combining to go 7-26 over the next two years. That, combined with unrest at quarterback, led to Stefanski’s firing Monday.
Sun, January 4, 2026 at 9:14 p.m. EST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Falcons owner Arthur Blank released a statement after the team parted ways with Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot:
Sun, January 4, 2026 at 8:46 p.m. EST
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Atlanta Falcons have fired head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot following an 8-9 season despite ending on a 4-game win streak.
Sun, January 4, 2026 at 8:06 p.m. EST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Pete Carroll doesn’t sound like a guy ready to retire even after a tough first season with the Raiders.
Sun, January 4, 2026 at 7:32 p.m. EST
Yahoo Sports Staff
1. Las Vegas Raiders
2. New York Jets
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Tennessee Titans
5. New York Giants
6. Cleveland Browns
7. Washington Commanders
How many of these teams will have a new head coach come April?
Sun, January 4, 2026 at 7:17 p.m. EST
Yahoo Sports Staff
“Don’t blame all this on Flus,” Jones said, per The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “This took five or six years to get here … I can’t make a case for you that we haven’t had a satisfactory defense for five or six years, really.”
After the Cowboys got torched again in Sunday’s loss to the Giants, has Jones’ mind changed?
We’ll find out in the coming days.
Sun, January 4, 2026 at 6:55 p.m. EST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Will Kevin Stefanski be back in Cleveland?
He would be if one of his best defenders had his say.
Sun, January 4, 2026 at 6:52 p.m. EST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Sun, January 4, 2026 at 6:44 p.m. EST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Colts team owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon’s first big move this offseason is not making one.
The Colts will bring back head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard, per NFL Network. Indianapolis went from 8-2 to out of the playoffs — as well as the first team in NFL history to go from six games above .500 at any point to a losing record, per ESPN Research — but Irsay-Gordon seems to be laying the blame at the feet of a season-ending injury to starting quarterback Daniel Jones, as well as major injuries to prized midseason acquisition Sauce Gardner and others as the season wound down.
Steichen is 25-26 in three seasons and hasn’t made the playoffs, but the Colts showed a ton of promise over the first half of the season before the injuries, especially on offense. That appears to have bought him and Ballard another year.
Shane Steichen is reportedly coming back as Colts head coach. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)