Monday is one the few days in the NFL calendar where fans angry at their teams for having bad coaches may actually get what they want. The conclusion of the NFL season always means someone no longer has a job in football, and the final day of 2018 was no exception.
Some big name coaching positions are now vacant after a string of firings and teams looking to move in new directions after disappointing seasons. Many of these openings are now in an AFC undergoing some significant changes this upcoming offseason. But word of firings started on Sunday night when Tampa Bay relieved Dirk Koetter of his duties on the fledgling pirate ship that is the Buccaneers.
Post-season firings are underway: Buccaneers relieves HC Dirk Koetter of his duties, source tells ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 31, 2018
By Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter was in high gear, reporting a number of teams had fired their head coach and would be looking for new leadership on the field in 2019. One of the least surprising firings was Todd Bowles, who led the Jets to four 10-loss seasons under his run in New Jersey.
Jets now have released HC Todd Bowles, per source.
Bowles follows former Bucs’ HC Dirk Koetter, let go earlier in the day.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 31, 2018
Another coach out of work on New Year’s Eve? Vance Joseph, formerly of the Denver Broncos, who led the team to back-to-back losing seasons for the first time in 46 years.
After its first back-to-back losing seasons, Denver now has fired head coach Vance Joseph, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 31, 2018
The Broncos have relieved Head Coach Vance Joseph of his duties.
📰 » https://t.co/pjAYurf0gm pic.twitter.com/PcVhoyK1FR
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) December 31, 2018
Joseph was one of the least-tenured coaches to see his name get called on Monday, but the biggest news was that Cincinnati’s Marvin Lewis. It may be surprising, however, to know that Lewis reportedly has his pick of jobs in various front offices — and maybe television studios — around the league.
BREAKING: #Bengals and Marvin Lewis have mutually decided to part ways after 16 seasons.
📰: https://t.co/RwhHcaMcM9 pic.twitter.com/VVedKCpzRG
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) December 31, 2018
Former Bengals’ HC Marvin Lewis will have options for his future: coaching, front-office work or TV. He has contemplated all and now will get to determine what’s next.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 31, 2018
Perhaps most amazingly is that Lewis — who coached the Bengals for 15 seasons — went 0-7 in the playoffs with Cincinnati. It’s a remarkable stat that frustrated many Bengals fans to no end, and despite the success in the regular season the team had with Lewis running the show, many felt that it was time for a chance.
The listless Miami Dolphins also fired Adam Gase on Monday, too.
Dolphins fired Adam Gase, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 31, 2018
In news that has been rumored for a few days, the Arizona Cardinals appear ready to hop onto the coaching carousel for the second year in a row, as Steve Wilks appears set to leave his post.
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
These teams will join the Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers, which made coaching changes earlier in the season when they parted ways with Hue Jackson and Mike McCarthy, respectively. Perhaps more changes will come in the weeks that follow Black Monday in the NFL, but right now, a lot of leaders will just have to look at the tape and see where things went wrong this year.
