It was a rough 12 hours or so for a handful of coaches across the NFL.
With the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns already in the midst of their searches for new head coaches, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets turned Black Monday into Black Sunday, cutting ties with their respective coaches just hours after the season ended.
Those teams were joined by the Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals, as all of those teams also decided to go in a different direction as the offseason began Monday.
With the coaching carousel now in motion, get caught up below on all the latest news and rumors from a wild day in the NFL.
2:04 p.m.: The Denver Broncos might be doing some big-game hunting.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote the following Monday afternoon:
“The chatter in league circles regarding Denver’s future continues to be that G.M. John Elway would like to find a way to hire Ravens coach John Harbaugh or, failing that, a path to returning Mike Shanahan to the franchise.”
1:45 p.m.: Adam Gase is going to be a very popular man.
Within three hours of being fired in Miami, Adam Gase already had heard from the majority of teams with an HC opening, per source. Gase is expected to start his HC interviews this week.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 31, 2018
11:40 a.m.: A little more on the talk of Adam Gase and the Browns:
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is interested in Gase, through recommendation of Peyton Manning, per sources. This one would be complicated and intriguing. Gase LOVES Baker. But Landry is also there. Dorsey’s presence creates an unknown.
But worth at least noting: Haslam is intrigued.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) December 31, 2018
10:48 a.m.: After firmly saying he’d only consider the Browns’ job, Bruce Arians apparently is open to Tampa Bay, too.
Previously, former #AZCardinals coach Bruce Arians had said he’d only consider the #Browns job. But with the #Bucs job open, BA just texted me: "I know Jason (Licht). So, I would listen.” That would be interesting.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 31, 2018
10:40 a.m.: The feeling is that now-fired Dolphins head coach Adam Gase won’t have to wait long before getting another job. Apparently.
Jarvis Landry shouldn’t be laughing today. I hear Gase-to-Browns is a very real possibility.
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) December 31, 2018
10:35 a.m.: The Bucs apparently have no interest in doing something new and innovative.
I'm told there is legit @Buccaneers interest in Bruce Arians for a head coaching interview and he may not be the only veteran coach in the mix. Keep an eye on Jack Del Rio and Jim Caldwell as potential candidates as well
— Alex Marvez (@alexmarvez) December 31, 2018
10:09 a.m.: It’s going to be a busy week for Patriots de-facto defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
Broncos just requested permission to interview Patriots’ defensive coordinator Brian Flores for their HC job, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 31, 2018
10:01 a.m.: This one isn’t very surprising, but it’s taken long enough: Marvin Lewis reportedly is out in Cincinnati.
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis told his staff that he's been fired, and that it was owner Mike Brown's call. Assistants waiting to hear on their status.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) December 31, 2018
9:58 a.m.: The Dolphins also are in the market for a new head coach, as Adam Gase is out.
Source: The #Dolphins fired Adam Gase.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 31, 2018
9:50 a.m.: And the axes are starting to fall across the NFL.
After its first back-to-back losing seasons, Denver now has fired head coach Vance Joseph, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 31, 2018
9:13 a.m.: Gregg Williams and Freddie Kitchens each did a tremendous job for the Browns after the team fired Hue Jackson midseason, and each will be rewarded for their efforts with an interview for the club’s head coaching opening.
#Browns GM John Dorsey says at a news conference that interim coach Gregg Williams will interview for the HC job on Tuesday. OC Freddie Kitchens also will get an interview.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 31, 2018
9:09 a.m.: It sounds like there will be an opening in the desert, as Steve Wilks’ tenure will last just one season, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
Sources: #AZCardinals coach Steve Wilks has told his staff during a meeting that he will not be the coach going forward. He has not yet heard it official from owner Michael Bidwill. But that is what he has told his staff.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 31, 2018
8:33 a.m.: Everything fell right for the Minnesota Vikings this season and despite high expectations entering the season, they couldn’t make the playoffs. But it doesn’t sound like the face-plant will cost Mike Zimmer his job.
Text from #Vikings coach Mike Zimmer: "I'm not retiring or resigning. Period." Disappointment still fresh, but multiple team sources tell me they'd be shocked if Zimmer is out. He's under contract for 2019.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 31, 2018
8:30 a.m.: The Raiders obviously aren’t making a coaching change after the first of a 10-year contract for Jon Gruden, but after firing general manager Reggie McKenzie, the Raiders reportedly are hiring another household name to take that job.
Raiders are hiring NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock as their general manager, league sources tell ESPN. The announcement will be made as early as today.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 31, 2018
7:55 a.m.: The New England Patriots earned themselves a bye week with a win Sunday, but the week off will be productive in more ways than one for at least a pair of Patriots assistant coaches.
Not only will they get an extra week to prepare for the divisional round, the Patriots’ two coordinators — Josh McDaniels and Brian Flores — might also spend part of the week interviewing for head coach openings.
The Green Bay Packers, according to The Boston Globe’s Jim McBride, have requested permission to interview both McDaniels and Flores.
The Green Bay Packers are expected to request permission to interview #Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and de facto defensive coordinator Brian Flores for their vacant head coaching job according to a league source. Story upcoming on @BGlobeSports
— Jim McBride (@globejimmcbride) December 31, 2018
The Browns, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, also requested to interview Flores.
Browns and Packers have requested permission to interview Patriots' DC Brian Flores for head coach, per league source.
Packers also requested permission to interview Patriots' OC Josh McDaniels for HC.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 31, 2018
7:45 a.m.: Some teams across the league moved swiftly upon the end of the season, wasting little time in making moves.
The New York Jets on Sunday night fired head coach Todd Bowles. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did the same with Dirk Koetter. Interestingly, however, the Jacksonville Jaguars announced Doug Marrone’s job was safe, despite their free fall one year after reaching the AFC Championship Game.
So, for those keeping score, here are the open coaching jobs as it stands right now.
New York Jets
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Green Bay Packers
Cleveland Browns
That list is expected to grow, too.
7:40 a.m. ET: The futures of a handful of NFL teams could change Monday morning — in addition to the ones that already have.
The regular season is behind us, leaving a lot of tough decisions for teams across the league who weren’t lucky (or good) enough to be moving onto the playoffs.
The Monday after the season ends, harshly nicknamed “Black Monday,” typically signals the end of head-coaching tenures, and this year figures to be no different, with as many as six or seven jobs opening up as the offseason begins.
Not only that, we’re already starting to learn which assistants or college coaches teams with vacancies are targeting.
It figures to be a busy day filled with news across the league, so check back here for all the latest rumors and news.
