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Black Monday has arrived in the NFL as a number of ruthless owners prepare to make plenty of ruthless changes to their coaching staff.
The day after the final week of regular season games has concluded is always a carousel of coaching changes as teams begin preparations for next season almost immediately.
Already on Monday, Ron Rivera has been fired by the Washington Commanders and Arthur Smith has lost his job with the Atlanta Falcons.
Black Monday began almost immediately after midnight when the Falcons announced they had parted ways with Smith after his team lost 48-17 to the Saints on Sunday.
The Falcons ended the season 7-10. All three years under Smith, Atlanta finished with the same record and missed the playoffs.
Ron Rivera has been fired by the Commanders and Arthur Smith has lost his job in Atlanta
News of Smith’s firing broke just 38 minutes after the conclusion of the Bills’ game vs. the Dolphins, the final game of the NFL regular season.
Rivera and the Commanders, meanwhile, finished the season with a miserable 4-13 record and lost 38-10 to Dallas Cowboys on Sunday to round out the campaign.
Rivera, who turned 62 on Sunday, leaves after four seasons. General manager Martin Mayhew and a majority of the front office and coaching staff are also expected to go.
Elsewhere in the NFL, the spotlight is very much on Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots with the six-time Super Bowl winner’s position under enormous scrutiny.
Their 4-13 record is the worst in Belichick’s 29-year NFL coaching career. Sunday’s loss to the New York Jets also marked the 178th of Belichick’s career, including the playoffs, tying him with Tom Landry for the most ever.
But he insisted it hasn’t taken away his desire to be on the sideline.
‘No, I enjoy coaching. Disappointing season… That’s how I feel,’ Belichick said. ‘The results weren’t good. None of us were happy with those.’
The spotlight is very much on Bill Belichick’s position as coach of the New England Patriots
Belichick and owner Robert Kraft are expected to meet as soon as Monday to discuss the coach’s future with the franchise.
Kraft will have to decide whether to part ways with Belichick, only the third coach who has worked for him since purchasing the team in 1994.
With 333 victories, Belichick is currently 14 wins shy of equaling Hall of Fame coach Don Shula’s record of 347, including the playoffs.
There is also uncertainty over Matt Eberflus’ job with the Chicago Bears and Dennis Allen’s position with the New Orleans Saints.
Currently, there are head coaching vacancies with the Los Angeles Chargers, Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, Falcons and Commanders.
However, it’s not just head coaches who are on the chopping block.
The Panthers fired their GM Scott Fitterer on Monday. It comes after David Tepper also axed coach Frank Reich after just 11 games.
Meanwhile, the New York Giants have fired both special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey and offensive-line coach Bobby Johnson.
