NFL Black Monday 2026: A Roundup Of Coaches & General Managers Fired
There is one final price we must pay to the gods. A dark day in the NFL where coaches and managers lose their jobs. A day we like to call NFL Black Monday.
Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons Head Coach (2024-2025)
Even on day 1, when Morris was hired as the head coach in Atlanta, it never made any sense. Especially with how awful his Buccaneers tenure was, this was doomed from the start. After 2 seasons, the big takeaway was that he learned absolutely nothing from his time in Tampa Bay. Too many games where the Falcons looked unprepared, and the in-game decisions were just horrendous. No surprise whatsoever, Morris is fired on Black Monday
The ship sailed the moment the Falcons lost to the Jets this season. Could have used that game to make the playoffs this year. Not even a 4-game winning streak would have saved him here. Raheem Morris is a great defensive coordinator, but just doesn’t have the skills or qualities to be a good head coach. He should be able to land on his feet again in the NFL as a defensive coordinator.
Terry Fontenot, Atlanta Falcons GM (2021-2025)
Yeah, this one was the predictable GM firing on NFL Black Monday. In fact, there was a legit case to fire Fontenot the moment Michael Penix Jr got drafted not just for the incredible reach of picking a player with a lengthy injury history, but also for giving that gigantic contract to Kirk Cousins. It was incompetence personified. Not only that, but his drafting has been completely reaching and missing.
He even thought it was a good idea to trade assets for Van Jefferson and Jeff Okudah. That’s not even getting into that overpayment trade-up in last year’s draft to select James Pearce Jr. Along with never having a winning record as the Falcons GM throughout his tenure, a change was needed. If you are going to clean house, everyone needs to go. Now, if those Matt Ryan rumors are true, that makes things interesting.
Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns (2020-2025)
Kevin Stefanski is the best coach that the Cleveland Browns have ever had since returning to the NFL in 1999. He also has had a very rough two seasons with the team having a 7-26 record. The Deshaun Watson trade heavily backfired and slammed Cleveland up against the cap. That’s on the GM Andrew Berry, but a great 2025 NFL Draft class saved his job.
Stefanski was in a really bad situation with the horrendous owners. They clearly chose him as a scapegoat on Black Monday, especially with the bad relationship with Shedeur Sanders. I wouldn’t worry about Stefanski long-term, as he will easily get another job in the NFL. Browns will regret letting him go.
Pete Carroll, Las Vegas Raiders (2025)
We all have an expiration date. Never forget it. Look, Pete Carroll is one of the best coaches in the 2010 era of NFL football, and on paper, I get why the Raiders hired him. However, the game has long passed Carroll, and it was clear that the chemistry in that locker room wasn’t gonna work with him leading.
This might be it for Carroll as a coach, and if it is, he should be in Canton in a few years. The Raiders needed to find a younger offense-minded coach in their next era since securing the 1st overall pick that should be used on Fernando Mendoza. Carroll was obviously not that and had to go on Black Monday.
Jonathan Gannon, Arizona Cardinals (2023-2025)
Out of the batch of firings on Black Monday, Jonathan Gannon was the most unexpected. Mainly because of the potential he had in his first two years with the team. Looking at it deeper, though, when you lose 14 of your last 15 games in year 3 of your coaching tenure, yeah, you’ve got to go.
Also, Gannon was once hailed as a defensive guru as a coach, and every year the defense got progressively worse. It’s not even a talent issue, as Arizona signed guys and used valuable draft picks to improve it.
Yes, injuries were a problem, but the team’s in-game decision-making was a mess. Honestly, Gannon was done the moment they lost to a Brian Callahan-coached Titans team. A change was absolutely needed in Arizona, but it’s hard to see a direction which they go next. As for Gannon, he will likely land on his feet as a defensive coordinator.
NFL Black Monday Is Always A Difficult Day
Every Black Monday is a difficult day. While change within the NFL is often necessary, it can be a tough process. I extend my best wishes to all those who found themselves looking for new opportunities, and I hope they receive another chance to showcase their talents in the league.
