2023 has been a brutal year for NFL head coaches. Three have already been fired. It’s not yet Christmas.
Brandon Staley was the latest play caller to wind up on the pavers after the Los Angeles Chargers decided giving up 42 first half points to Aidan O’Connell was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Staley’s tenure in LA ended with a 24-24 regular season record, one epic playoff collapse and the unshakeable imprint of a man who perpetually found the exact wrong way to do the right thing.
He won’t be the last. Black Monday, the day after the regular season concludes, is waiting to snatch more souls. It’s possible a quarter of the 32-team league winds up in the market for new full-time head coaches come January. It’s a near certaintly at least two more are on their way out.
Let’s take a look at the most likely candidates, ranging from “Probably won’t get fired but I could see it” to “Oh yeah, he’s done here.”