The final week of the NFL regular season is here, and with it comes a flurry of coaching changes. Dubbed “Black Monday”, the first Monday after the final games of the season usually results in several head coaches losing their jobs. Two head coaches have already lost their jobs this year, but a few others will be on the way out.
NFL Coaches on the Hot Seat Heading Into Black Monday
Matt Nagy – Chicago Bears
It wasn’t that long ago that Matt Nagy led Mitchell Trubisky to a 12-4 record with an exciting hybrid offense. Unfortunately, Nagy was never able to duplicate that success, as Trubisky burned out in Chicago while rookie quarterback Justin Fields didn’t play up to potential.
While some of this is on Fields himself, Nagy failed to make the most of the rookie’s elite athleticism and rocket arm. Fields is going to need a more creative coach if he is to reach his ceiling in the NFL, and Nagy just isn’t the guy for the job.
PREDICTION: FIRED
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Mike Zimmer – Minnesota Vikings
Mike Zimmer is old-school football personified, and that’s not a good thing in today’s NFL. The league is all about passing, and Zimmer’s outdated philosophy combined with his inability to put together a good defense make him a relic of the times. Change is coming in Minnesota, and it starts up top. Despite the history of success, Zimmer will probably be out of a job on Black Monday.
PREDICTION: FIRED
Matt Rhule – Carolina Panthers
What a difference a year makes. At this time last year, Matt Rhule and offensive coordinator Joe Brady were seen as two of the best young minds in football. Since then, Carolina collapsed down the stretch, Brady was fired, and Rhule simply could not fix the offense.
While he deserves credit for improving the defense, the quarterback situation has been a nightmare. Since joining the Panthers, Rhule released Cam Newton, spent a fortune on two of Newton’s replacements, re-signed Newton, and then benched him again for one of the aforementioned replacements. In a league where quarterback play is everything, you can’t have a guy like this leading the charge.
PREDICTION: FIRED
Joe Judge – New York Giants
If I were running the New York Giants, Joe Judge would already be gone. The former New England Patriots assistant simply hasn’t gotten the on-field results, and the team appears no closer to contending than they were two years ago. Despite heavy investments on the offensive side of the football, the team has been embarrassingly bad without Daniel Jones, and those press conferences aren’t helping his case.
However, reports surfaced that New York’s ownership believes in Judge and his vision for the team. With the culture reportedly fixed, it sounds like Judge will have at least one more year to turn this thing around.
PREDICTION: NOT FIRED
Giants offensive ranks since Joe Judge hiring before 2020 season
Rank
Points per game 16.59 32nd
Yards per game 296.8 32nd
Yards per play 4.85 32nd
Red Zone Eff. 46.2% 32nd pic.twitter.com/1QXokNLKog— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 3, 2022
Vic Fangio – Denver Broncos
If you’re looking for a head coach, you could do a lot worse than Vic Fangio. The defensive specialist has crafted a solid unit with a strong foundation, and he keeps his teams competitive each and every year. However, you could also do a lot better and, after three seasons without a winning record, it’s time to see if someone else can have this team take the next step.
PREDICTION: FIRED
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Pete Carroll – Seattle Seahawks
We’ve finally seen what the Seattle Seahawks would look like without Russell Wilson carrying the entire team. Yes, Wilson has played the majority of the season, but he hasn’t performed up to his usual standard. Because of this, Seattle has plummeted to a 6-10 record as years of questionable decisions and outdated coaching have finally caught up to Carroll.
However, one bad season probably won’t be enough for Seattle’s front office to get rid of the one-time Super Bowl champion. He’s still the most successful coach in team history, and you can tell that the team plays hard for him every single week. If the choice is between Wilson or Carroll, the team is going to pick Wilson. However, if the team believes Wilson is gone regardless of the coaching status, then they’ll hold on to Carroll.
PREDICTION: NOT FIRED
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
