Drama in the NFL

Firings and Rumors Surrounding Coaches and Players in the National Football League

Photo by Ken Lund from Flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

During the 2025-2026 National Football League (NFL) season, eight head coaches of NFL teams have been fired. Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins), John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens), Pete Carroll (Los Angeles Raiders), Jonathan Gannon (Arazonia Cardinals), Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns), Raheem Morris (Atlanta Falcons), Brian Daboll (New York Giants) and Brian Callahan (Tennessee Titans). 

This is the first time in 10 years where more than 8 coaches have been fired before the super bowl. The scariest time for a NFL coach is called “Black Monday,” the day after the regular season ends. This day is where coaches who struggled in the regular season will most likely get laid off when they did not make the NFL playoffs. 

“I think that all of the head coach firings bring a big impact on teams having to adapt to new systems,” sophomore Nicky Fiore said. “This puts a lot of pressure on new head coaches to have success in a short period of time. I think these factors will lead to those teams who fired their head coaches to have a rough time next season.”

Owner of the Miami Dolphins, Stephen Ross, met with the head coach McDaniel to discuss the 2025 season. After that meeting, Ross decided to move on from McDaniel. The pros of coaching the Dolphins is that Ross is willing to spend money up to the cap in order to get the best facilities and players. The Dolphins also own five picks in the first three rounds of the 2026 draft. 

“Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receiver Tyreek Hill represent a $108 million cap hit in 2026.” Marcel Louis-Jacques from ESPN said. “The former was benched for rookie Quinn Ewers this season, and Hill missed 13 games with a dislocated knee. Miami's roster is thin and there isn't a ton of salary cap space to build through free agency, so their 2026 draft class must be a hit.”

Two of the most controversial fires are ex-head coach of the Ravens, John Harbaugh, and ex-head coach of the Giants, Brian Daboll. The biggest issue for coaching at the Ravens would be the immense pressure of winning immediately. The next coach is following in the footsteps of Harbaugh, the winningest coach in franchise history and is expected to bring quarterback Lamar Jackson to success in the post-season. 

“I think the Ravens and the Giants made the most controversial calls,” Fiore said. “Harbaugh has shown he can win games, and the struggles weren't necessarily his fault. The Giants head coach had the team turning in the right direction.”

The Cardinals, Raiders, Falcons and Titans have all fired their coaches within 3 years of being with the team. With little success with new coaches, this can lead to an unattractive place of employment for new coaches. Meanwhile, the Browns fired Kevin Stefanski after six seasons, but with promises in their defense, as well as two first-round picks, next season is looking up for them. However, their new head coach will have to find a set quarterback for the 2026 season. 

When it comes to professional sports, intense pressure and high stakes create opportunities for new coaches as well as old ones. As teams navigate part-time coaches and eye replacements, all the focus is on rebuilding teams for future success, not short time achievements. This competitive environment allows for big changes in the future of the sport.