NFL Black Monday: Did Pete Carroll, Kevin Stefanski, Raheem Morris and Jonathan Gannon deserve to be fired?
Sky Sports NFL's Neil Reynolds reacts to the head coach firings on Black Monday in the NFL, with six vacancies now open across the league; Pete Carroll was dismissed after just one season in charge of the Las Vegas Raiders while Raheem Morris was fired by the Atlanta Falcons
Tuesday 6 January 2026 12:43, UK
The end of the 2025 NFL regular season signalled the start of a coaching cull among those who did not make the playoffs.
Within hours of the final games being played on Sunday, the Atlanta Falcons had fired Raheem Morris. By Monday, the Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders and Arizona Cardinals had followed suit.
With the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants removing their head coaches during the season, we are currently sitting at six job openings as we move towards the offseason.
Here is my take on the firings that have taken place so far, keeping in mind that the teams may not be done just yet.
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Raheem Morris - Atlanta Falcons
I have to admit that this move surprised me, especially as it came so soon after the Falcons completed a four-game winning streak to end the year. Atlanta were officially eliminated from playoff contention on December 7 yet they fought hard until the very end. That told me something about the character of the team and, in turn, their leader. But Morris is gone after two years, along with general manager Terry Fontenot.
I'm not sure starting again was the best move for a team that I would have labelled as favourites to win the NFC South in 2026. Perhaps both were expected to have developed second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr because there are questions at that key position heading into the offseason. Former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan could have a big say in the next head coach as the current TV commentator is being hired as Atlanta's President of Football Operations.
Pete Carroll - Las Vegas Raiders
This move comes as no surprise and the Super Bowl-winning veteran is officially one and done with the Raiders. That in itself is hardly shocking as Las Vegas cannot settle on a leader. They have had eight different season-opening head coaches since 2010. That is the most in the NFL and speaks to a franchise that is constantly starting over and struggling for answers.
Carroll likely heads into retirement at the age of 74 and he leaves behind a quarterback-less team that went 3-14 in 2025. That was the worst record in the NFL and means the new head coach can work with a quarterback taken right at the very top of the 2026 Draft. And you can bet your bottom dollar that minority owner Tom Brady is going to have a say in who fills both key positions.
Kevin Stefanski - Cleveland Browns
This is one of those rare moves where I think the fired head coach might be better off out of the building. Kevin Stefanski - who is an excellent offensive mind - has not been given much to work with in Cleveland, especially at the quarterback position. And the two-time NFL Coach of the Year has plenty of time to find a better situation for a second crack at the age of 43. If Stefanski can coax a pair of 11-win seasons out of the Browns, I have to wonder what he could do elsewhere. I don't think we have seen the last of Stefanski as an NFL head coach.
Jonathan Gannon - Arizona Cardinals
This was a firing that I would put in the 'expected but a tad harsh' category. Jonathan Gannon was tied to quarterback Kyler Murray and his failings have been obvious in recent seasons. Arizona opened 2-0 but lost 14 of their last 15 games. But I would argue that they were still competitive in a great many of those contests and were not an easy team to beat. Gannon might have liked a longer runway to bring along another quarterback, but he is gone after three seasons at the helm. And I'm not sure he will be re-hired as quickly as someone like Stefanski.
Brian Callahan - Tennessee Titans
The Titans moved on from Brian Callahan after he opened the 2025 season with one win from six. After going 3-14 in his first season in charge, Callahan had little room for error and his exit was no surprise. The form of rookie quarterback Cam Ward improved under interim head coach Mike McCoy and bringing the best out of the young passer will be priority number one for whoever gets this job.
Brian Daboll - New York Giants
Another former NFL Coach of the Year fell on his sword after a 2-8 start to the season. With Brian Daboll gone, the Giants might offer the most attractive opening of 2026. Jaxson Dart is a promising and energetic prospect at quarterback and there are young offensive weapons in Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy and Malik Nabers. Add in a fearsome pass rush and the Giants could quickly improve on their 4-13 record from this season. If I were Kevin Stefanski, this would be the job worth chasing in the coming weeks.
Watch the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs live on Sky Sports from Saturday January 10-Monday January 12, starting with the Los Angeles Rams against the Carolina Panthers at 9.30pm Saturday night.
