Black Monday is an unfortunate tradition unlike any other, where the underperforming coaches in the league are unceremoniously fired at the conclusion of the NFL’s regular season. This happens on an annual basis, and several coaches are let go even before the end of the year. General managers are no exception to this rule either, as some of them are sent packing as well. The NFL is a cold business where immediate results are expected & excuses are not permitted. Nonetheless, this topic is worth discussing as many teams look forward to the 2023 NFL season. Let’s dive in & analyze all of the stories from around the NFL on this miserable Black Monday.
Matt Rhule (Carolina Panthers)
Matt Rhule was let go by the Panthers all the way back in Week 5 after an awful 1-4 start. Unfortunately, the Panthers still owe Rhule some money as he had four years left on his contract. Owner David Tepper made the right (although tough) decision here, as the team improved by leaps & bounds under interim head coach Steve Wilks, finishing with a 7-10 record on the year. Wilks is clearly a candidate to be promoted from his interim title to take over as the head coach. Tepper will continue interviewing high profile candidates for the opening, such as Jim Harbaugh. That said, their best option could be in-house as Panthers players voice support for Steve Wilks.
Frank Reich (Indianapolis Colts)
Much like the Panthers, the Colts decided to fire their head coach after a mediocre start. Reich began the year with a 3-5-1 record, and so the Colts decided to dismiss him at midseason. His replacement was quite a surprising hire in retired NFL player & ESPN analyst Jeff Saturday. The Colts regressed mightily as a team under the interim coach, falling to 4-12-1 on the season. Logic would dictate that the Colts look elsewhere to look for a permanent replacement at head coach; however, the interim coach is reportedly still a “serious candidate” for the job opening. My heart goes out to Colts fans if they’re forced to suffer through another Jeff Saturday season.
Nathaniel Hackett (Denver Broncos)
Letting Russ cook was a disastrous recipe for Nathaniel Hackett, and it cost him his job. He was fired back in Week 15 after the team stumbled to a 4-11 record behind an inept offense. Russell Wilson’s awful play this season cost Hackett his job; however, there were a host of other reasons, such as clock management & in-game situational awareness, that also led to his firing. Sean Payton would be a great hire for the Broncos; however, there are two issues there in that a) they must trade with the Saints to get him, & b) that Payton wants Vic Fangio to run his defense. It will be intriguing to see who they hire, as they need someone who believes that Russ is fixable.
John Robinson (Tennessee Titans)
I won’t spend a lot of time here, as Robinson’s midseason firing was rather mysterious. After all, he had just been given a contract extension by the team during their 2022 offseason. That said, the team has a couple of in-house candidates that they will be interviewing which include VP of player personnel Ryan Cowden & Director of player personnel Monti Ossenfort. Buyer beware as the Titans randomly fired their GM before struggling mightily down the stretch.
Lovie Smith (Houston Texans)
The Texans are an absolute dumpster fire of an organization, firing two coaches (David Culley being the other) in back-to-back offseasons after failing to give them a chance to improve. Both of these coaches were “one and done” with the Texans, even though ownership knew that it was simply impossible for either of these men to be competitive with the worst roster in the NFL. They have the No. 2 pick & cap space next year but offer very little else for potential candidates. We’ll see who ends up taking the job, as that person clearly has their work cut out for them here.
Kliff Kingsbury (Arizona Cardinals)
Kyler Murray will apparently have tons of input on the Cardinals’ head coaching search. I’m not sure that’s such a good thing, but clearly Kyler & Kingsbury must not have gelled well. That’s what happens when you hire a collegiate head coach with a 35-40 record at Texas Tech. Cardinals GM Steve Keim is also stepping down from the team in order to focus on his health. These three men (Kingsbury, Murray, & Keim) were all given contract extensions back in 2022. Kingsbury & Keim are gone, while Murray is likely to miss all of next year due to an ACL tear. Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell probably wishes he had a time machine to use right about now.
Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams)
Okay, so McVay hasn’t officially made his decision one way or the other for next season; however, reading the tea leaves doesn’t exactly offer a host of optimism in regards to his return. It’s clear now that the Rams must undergo a full-scale rebuild, and McVay’s heart just isn’t in it. I can’t say that I blame him, as he already underwent one rebuild when he was hired for the job. His future is also directly linked to his players, such as Matthew Stafford & Aaron Donald, who may also be retiring or heading elsewhere (via trade or otherwise) before next season kicks off. This will be one of the 2023 offseason’s more fascinating storylines, so buckle up and get ready.
The Sports Beacon 