Black Monday 2026: A Seismic Shift in the NFL Coaching Landscape

Read Time:3 Minute, 20 Second

The conclusion of the 2025 NFL regular season gave us a volatile Black Monday. As of January 7, 2026, the league is grappling with a massive leadership vacuum, as seven head coaching vacancies have opened up, headlined by the end of an 18-year era in Baltimore and the abrupt end of high-profile experiments in Las Vegas and Cleveland.

The Headliners: Legends and Leaders Out

The most shocking move of the week came from Baltimore, where the league’s second-longest-tenured coach was relieved of his duties.

1. John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens)

Tenure: 18 Seasons (2008–2025)
Final Season Record: 8–9
The Story: After nearly two decades, a Super Bowl XLVII ring, and 180 wins, the Ravens and Harbaugh finally parted ways. A missed 44-yard field goal in the season finale served as the final act of a disappointing campaign that saw the Ravens miss the playoffs despite entering September as Super Bowl favorites.

Next Steps: Harbaugh immediately becomes the #1 candidate for every team with a vacancy.

2. Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns)

Tenure: 6 Seasons (2020–2025)
Final Season Record: 5–12
The Story: Despite winning two NFL Coach of the Year awards, Stefanski was unable to overcome the instability at quarterback and a mounting injury list. A last-place finish in the AFC North ultimately convinced GM Andrew Berry (who was retained) that a new voice was needed to salvage the roster.

3. Pete Carroll (Las Vegas Raiders)

Tenure: 1 Season (2025)
Final Season Record: 3–14
The Story: The Pete Carroll experiment in the desert was short-lived. At 74, Carroll was brought in to provide a veteran spark, but the Raiders finished tied for the worst record in the NFL. With the #1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft secured, owner Mark Davis and minority owner Tom Brady opted for a total reset.

The “Young Guard” Dismissals

Franchises looking for quick turnarounds showed little patience for developmental struggles.

Coach	Team	Tenure	2025 Record	Reason for Departure
Jonathan Gannon	Arizona Cardinals	3 Seasons	3–14	Finished the year on a 9-game losing streak; 15–36 overall tenure.
Raheem Morris	Atlanta Falcons	2 Seasons	8–9	Back-to-back 8–9 seasons without a playoff appearance in a winnable NFC South.

Note: These moves join the mid-season firings of Brian Daboll (NY Giants) and Brian Callahan (Tennessee Titans), bringing the total count of open head-coaching jobs to seven.

Coordinator Fallout: The “Purge” Continues

It wasn’t just head coaches losing their jobs. Several organizations decided to clean house on their staff to appease fanbases after “disastrous” defensive or offensive showings.

Dallas Cowboys: Fired DC Matt Eberflus after just one season. The Cowboys’ defense finished 30th in total yards, surrendering the most points in the NFL during a 7–9–1 campaign.
Washington Commanders: Parted ways with both OC Kliff Kingsbury and DC Joe Whitt Jr. Dan Quinn remains the head coach, but a 5–12 season necessitated a massive strategic shift.
Detroit Lions: Fired OC John Morton after only one year. The Lions missed the playoffs for the first time in three seasons (9–8), and head coach Dan Campbell had already taken back play-calling duties mid-season.

Who is Safe? (The “White Monday” Survivors)

While many teams reached for the “reset” button, a few notable names survived the chop despite difficult seasons:

Cincinnati Bengals: Retained Zac Taylor despite a 6–11 finish. Ownership cited continuity and Taylor’s past success as reasons to “run it back” in 2026.
Indianapolis Colts: Shane Steichen remains the head coach. Despite a second-half collapse following injuries to Daniel Jones, owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon expressed confidence in Steichen’s 8–2 start to the season.