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A full 25% of the NFL franchises have decided to pull the plug on their 2023 head coach. That's 8 of the 32 NFL teams.
The list of NFL head coaches who are no longer in that position ranges from Bill Belichik (24 seasons) to Frank Reich (11 games).
This is all taking place as the playoffs get underway with San Francisco (+210), Baltimore (+320), Buffalo (+650) and Dallas (+750) all in front of Kansas City at the betting window (+1000) to win the Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, the have-nots look for a new head while others get an early start at planning for the 2024 NFL Draft, otherwise known as the Caleb Williams sweepstakes.
Head coaching changes can be frustrating for star players who will have to adapt to a new system and a different atmosphere in the locker room. And while a fresh start can provide a boost to optimism and ticket sales, fans can also hold out with 'a wait and see attitude'.
New England fans are as appreciative as any fans can be for the glory days brought to the Patriots by Bill Belichick's tenure, but a 29-38 record since Tom Brady left was a glaring signal that times have changed. Belichick did for New England what Vince Lombardi did for Green Bay, in a day and age when establishing an NFL dynasty is infinitely harder fathom. Lombardi coached in a period when the NFL was comprised of just 12 teams when he began in 1959, and 16 in his last season in 1967. The NFL played a 12-game regular season in 1959 and 14-game slates in 1960-'67.
Belichick, in 24 seasons in New England, had a run of 17 division titles, 9 AFC championships, and 6 Super Bowls. Brady was the quarterback for all of that success,too. And when Brady went to Tampa Bay, he won another Super Bowl.
Former New England linebacker-turned-linebackers coach, Jared Mayo, was elevated to head coach of the Patriots on Friday (January 12).
On the other side of the United States, the city of Seattle was enjoying great success under Pete Carroll who enjoyed a 14-year run and led the Seahawks to their only Super Bowl title at the end of the 2013 season by defeating the Denver Broncos before losing to New England the following year.
The LA Raiders were the first to make a move when Josh McDaniels was fired on November 1. The long-time Belichik offensive coordinator with New England was just 9-16 in less than two season with the Raiders after going 11-17 in Denver. At each stop, his second season was worse than his first.
The other 5 head coaches who lost their job are Arthur Smith at Atlanta, Frank Reich with Carolina, Brandon Staley with the LA Chargers, Mike Vrabel at Tennessee, and Ron Rivera at Washington.
Smith was 7-10 in each of his 3 seasons in Atlanta.
Reich didn't even last a year (1-10).
Staley improved from 9-8 in year one to 10-7 in year two, but slid to 5-9 in 2023 when he was canned.
Most pundits were aghast when Vrabel was left go, even though he was just 13-21 over the last 2 seasons after compiling a 41-24 mark in his first four years with the Titans.
Rivera had new owners a horrible year in 2023, going 4-13. But even the best of his four seasons only produced a 8-8 mark. Prior to his move to Washington - after he was fired by Carolina - Rivera was 76-63-1 with the Panthers, including records of 12-4 in 2013, 15-1 in 2015 with a Super Bowl loss to Denver, and 11-5 in 2017.
Atlanta - OUT: Arthur Smith; IN: ?
Carolina - OUT: Frank Reich; IN: ?
LA Chargers - OUT: Bandon Staley; IN: ?
Las Vegas - OUT: Josh McDaniels; IN: ?
New England - OUT: Bill Belichick; IN: Jerod Mayo
Seattle: OUT: Pete Carroll; IN: ?
Tennessee - OUT: Mike Vrabel; IN: ?
Washington - OUT: Ron Rivera; IN: ?