With the final week of the NFL season here, eliminated teams have begun thinking about their New Year's resolutions to improve the squad for next season.
That includes giving younger players a longer leash and more game reps, while also thinking about who will be leading the team for the foreseeable future.
It’s become such a regular time for turnaround that ‘Black Monday’ has become the colloquial term for the head coach firings that take place the day after the regular season ends.
So as Black Monday approaches, here’s a look at the head coaches who may be on their way out, and some of the top candidates to replace them in the 2026 cycle.
ON THE HOT SEAT
Jonathan Gannon, Cardinals
Three years into his Cardinals tenure and Gannon has nothing to show for it. He’s won a total of 15 games entering Week 18, with last season’s eight wins and third-place finish in the NFC West being Gannon’s best result. Praised as one of the better defensive minds after his stint as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator, Gannon’s unit in Arizona has been middling at best.
Last season, the Cards' defence ranked 15th in points and 21st in yards, but regressed to 29th and 26th, respectively, this year. The struggling defence plus an expected quarterback change doesn’t bode well for the 42-year-old to stick around much longer.
Pete Carroll, Raiders
It would be a pretty big surprise if the oldest head coach in the NFL sticks around in the Silver and Black beyond this season. Carroll, 74, came out of pseudo-retirement to lead the Raiders this season, but to say it’s been a failure is still probably an understatement. As the team’s fifth coach since 2020, the Super Bowl champ was expected to bring the franchise back to relevancy and even hand-picked his own QB in Geno Smith. The result: two wins entering the final week of the season, last-ranked offence in points, last in rushing and last in total yards.
Todd Bowles, Buccaneers
A win on Saturday would mark Bowles’ fourth division title in four years at the helm of the Bucs. But Tampa has won just one post-season game, and it has looked like a shell of itself after a fantastic start to the year. After starting 6-2, the Buccaneers have gone 1-7 while sporting a bottom-five defence since Week 9. They’re allowing 28.4 points per game in that stretch — a mark just four teams are averaging over the course of the season. So while the regular-season success has been there over Bowles’ tenure, the recent collapse makes it seem as though his time in Tampa has come to an end, even if it’s not on Black Monday.
Zac Taylor, Bengals
How many more chances is Taylor going to get in Cincinnati? Now about to finish his seventh season as the head coach of the Bengals (six with Joe Burrow), Taylor has led the squad to just two playoff appearances, and none since 2022. Granted, Burrow has missed considerable time this year and in 2023, so the post-season appearances may be different with a healthy star QB, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that the defence has been one of the worst units in the league over the past few seasons. He doesn’t call the defence, but Taylor is responsible for hiring the DC, and he’s clearly failed to find the right one.
Mike McCoy, Titans (interim)
It’s not his fault he inherited a terrible situation, but McCoy’s not in the clear either. The Titans have continued to struggle since McCoy took over on Oct. 13, winning just twice while first-overall pick Cam Ward continues to have growing pains. The offence is a bottom-three unit, and while the defence has improved, it seems inevitable that GM Mike Borgonzi will hand-pick a new leader to develop Ward.
Mike Kafka, Giants (interim)
The second Mike interim head coach, Kafka took over from the fired Brian Daboll on Nov. 10 and has led the Giants to a 1-5 record. The former offensive coordinator has made New York a solid offence this season in terms of yards-per game, but it ranks as the 12th-worst unit in points-per game. Armed with rookie QB Jaxson Dart and a top pick in the 2026 draft, it would make the most sense for the G-Men to start fresh.
Coaches with uncertain futures
Mike McDaniel, Dolphins; Aaron Glenn, Jets; John Harbaugh, Ravens; Raheem Morris, Falcons; Mike Tomlin, Steelers
WHO'S UP NEXT?
Klint Kubiak, Seahawks OC
The son of Super Bowl-winning HC Gary Kubiak has helped transform the Seahawks into an offensive powerhouse, averaging 29.4 points-per game while having QB Sam Darnold firmly in the MVP conversation. Klint Kubiak also checks off the box of being a young, offensive-minded coach, which always seems to be a hot commodity.
Vance Joseph, Broncos DC
Looking for a second go-around as an HC, Joseph has had the Broncos defence flying since he landed back in Denver. The Broncos own a top-five defence and have registered a franchise-best 64 sacks, eight shy of the NFL record.
Jesse Minter, Chargers DC
The 42-year-old Minter has led the Chargers to the fourth-best unit in yards-per game and seventh-best in points in just his second season as an NFL coordinator.
Anthony Campanile, Jaguars DC
Yet another younger candidate, the 43-year-old has thrived with Jacksonville this season as the Jags sit at 12-4 entering Week 18 with 30 forced turnovers — the second most in the NFL. It is just his first year as an NFL coordinator, so his time might not come this season, but he’s definitely on the rise to becoming a household name.
Matt Nagy, Chiefs OC
Nagy previously served as the Bears HC, going 34-31 with one winning season before returning to his OC role in Kansas City. While the Chiefs have had their worst season in over a decade, Nagy’s experience working with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid while helping run one of the league’s top offences will get him some looks.
Chris Shula, Rams DC
Shula is another rising candidate in the coaching ranks, serving as the Rams' DC for the past two seasons. The 39-year-old comes from a football family as the son of former Bengals HC Dave Shula and the grandson of Hall of Fame coach Don Shula. Working under Sean McVay won't hurt his chances, either.
Brian Flores, Vikings DC
Flores is looking to get a second crack at a head coaching gig after a successful stint with the Vikings. The DC told the media on Tuesday that he loves Minnesota, but acknowledges the business side of it all. If he’s available, Flores is sure to garner interest after leading the Dolphins to two winning seasons in three years.
Joe Brady, Bills OC
After helping Josh Allen take home the MVP award last season as the Bills sported a top offence, Brady’s unit has taken a bit of a step back this season. However, Buffalo still ranks fifth in total yards-per game, second in rushing, and sixth in points.
Robert Saleh, 49ers DC
Saleh returned to the 49ers after serving as the Jets HC for 56 games. While his unit hasn’t been as dominant as years past in San Francisco, the Niners still possess one of the better defences despite missing superstars Fred Warner and Nick Bosa for most of the season. ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted on the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday that he believes Saleh will be interviewed this cycle. Not too shabby for a guy a year removed from his last HC gig.
Kliff Kingsbury, Commanders OC
The former Cardinals HC could garner interest this cycle despite the Commanders struggling mightily this season. But their struggles can most likely be attributed to injuries, being without star QB Jayden Daniels for all but seven games. Last season with a healthy Daniels, Washington posted the fifth-best scoring offence and ranked seventh in yards.
Other potential names
Davis Webb, Broncos QB coach; Declan Doyle, Bears OC; Mike LaFleur, Rams OC; Jeff Hafley, Packers DC; Jim Bob Cooter, Colts OC
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