OT: NFL Black Monday
As we prepare for tonight’s CFP Championship game by F5-ing our keyboards for last minute updates/reports, I was reminded that today is “Black Monday” for NFL teams axing their coaching staffs.
As a Lions fan, it’s rather nice not to have the impending doom and gloom of going through another coaching search but the time is nigh for other team’s HC to march to the gallows.
I believe the following NFL HC positions are open:
- Falcons
- Commanders
- Chargers
- Raiders
- Panthers
And other HC jobs might soon follow, too, including the Patriots, Jets, and the Bears.
For our sanity, less assume Harbaugh stays for the time being so we don’t have to go down that rabbit hole.
- What other teams/coaching staffs make a shake-up and who do you think should fill these roles?
- Any college coaches make the leap to the NFL or assistants get scooped up quickly?
- Lastly, what do you think of the term Black Monday and have you ever been part of an impending layoff due to factors within or outside your control?
January 8th, 2024 at 11:15 AM ^
Raiders job should go to their interim who did an amazing job and has the locker room behind him.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:19 AM ^
No nothing about Raiders coach. But, ed Orgeron (sp?) Did a good job as an interim and had the locker room behind him too.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:30 AM ^
And won a natty.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:34 AM ^
I could have coached them to a Natty w Burrow at QB and Jefferson and Chase at WR...
Ed O was a buffoon...
January 8th, 2024 at 11:48 AM ^
Cajun Brady Hoke
January 8th, 2024 at 11:51 AM ^
The same buffoon that recruited Burrow out of OSU and convinced him to grad transfer to LSU?
January 8th, 2024 at 12:02 PM ^
Ryan Day had CJ Stroud and one of the best non-LSU offenses in college football history and didn't win a damn thing. Orgeron got the "Special Ed" moniker because of how he spoke but he did a fine job as an interim at USC, did a fine job at LSU, and knows ball.
Also, we're talking about the NFL, where teams cycle through coaches quite frequently and teams have massive turnover. If you've got a guy the players like and did a good job in a tough spot, save some money and give him a shot. There will be other good coaches available in 2-3 years if he flames out.
January 8th, 2024 at 1:51 PM ^
It amazes me how short coaching leashes are. Bill Belichick was 1st in the AFC East 17 or 23 years coaching at NE. Got to the Super Bowl 9 times and won 6. He also made it to the AFC championship game 4 additional times and only missed the playoffs 6 times. 3 of those were in the last 4 years. This year was really bad, but despite losing Brady he probably hasn't lost his ability to coach.
Ogeron had 3 good years and two bad ones after winning a National Championship. Similar thing happened to Gene Chizik.
I wonder how the decision is made to pull the cord. I think Michigan's floor is 10-3. If Michigan loses the big games but beats the teams we should we go 10-3. Solid but not great. I might be wrong but I think most Michigan fans would agree with this. (Though it might be different with the 2024 meat grinder schedule.) As long as the 3 losses are close, you are in striking distance of a great year. Harbaugh went:
2015 10-3
2016 10-3
2017 8-5
2018 10-3
2019 9-4
2020 2-4
He didn't really meet expectations in 3 of his first six years. People were calling for his head in 2020. Then he goes:
2021 12-2
2022 13-1
2023 14-0 (and counting)
All of us who follow Harbaugh know that he is a competitor and that he wouldn't stop until he righted the ship. It is hard to believe that Bill Belichick isn't a competitor though at 71 maybe he lost his fire. Chizik just got fired as NC's DC. Ogeron, who was part of the Miami White House days and is a guy who likes to party maybe was mailing it in after his Natty. How do you judge?
There is also a schadenfreunde angle to this. Many OSU fans want Ryan Day's head after
2018 3-0
2019 13-1 (lost to Clemson in the playoffs)
2020 7-1 (Lost to Alabama in the championship game)
2021 11-2 (lost to Michigan and almost beat Georgia)
2023 11-2 (Ha ha!)
To be frank, the 10-3 floor I have for Michigan is probably 11-2 for OSU and might be 12-1. For whatever reason they have a ridiculous amount of talent. Only Bama and Georgia are on par or better. They should beat every team except maybe one or two in all of college football. I think Day is probably a good coach, but Harbaugh is better. I'm looking forward to Day becoming John Cooper, or OSU firing him and getting someone worse. With their luck/money they'll hire Kalen DeBoer.
January 8th, 2024 at 12:22 PM ^
A buffoon with a giant buyout and lots of lovely ladies laying in his bed - lol
January 8th, 2024 at 11:43 AM ^
did you know that ed gargles frogs when he talks?
January 8th, 2024 at 12:07 PM ^
Coach O can't wait to bring his Game to Vegas
January 8th, 2024 at 4:37 PM ^
I wonder what she sees in him?
January 8th, 2024 at 12:10 PM ^
They should have given it to the interim a few years ago, but they didn't and hired McDaniels.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:19 AM ^
The Patriots will have an opening this year. I don't think the Jets will - they can point to the Aaron Rodgers injury. The Bears might but probably shouldn't.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:26 AM ^
I agree, I'm. Not so sure about the Bears and Jets. Bears had a decent run to close out the year and the Jets were cursed this year
January 8th, 2024 at 11:27 AM ^
As a biased Chargers fan, if Harbaugh goes to the NFL, I think the Chargers would be the best spot going forward.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:54 AM ^
Chargers are obviously the best fit in terms of roster and team needs. He would make an immediate impact. But the division is less than ideal and the ownership situation is REALLY less than ideal for him. Still, he and Sarah clearly loved living in California (who can blame them?) and I'm sure they'd be happy to go back to SoCal
January 8th, 2024 at 2:50 PM ^
But remember they met in Vegas!
January 8th, 2024 at 1:39 PM ^
I predict Ben Johnson gets the Chargers job. I also predict Harbaugh stays at Michigan, because in all honesty it is the best fit for him.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:29 AM ^
Ryan Day to Patriots.
Also, I wanted to discuss the end of the Saints and Falcons. 41-17, Saints are on the 1 yard line after a pick and it's the end of the game. Dennis Allen calls for the players to take a knee. They say, aw come on man, let's let Jamaal Williams score his first TD this year. Allen said no.
The players (specifically, I believe, Jameis Winston) get in the huddle and say, basically, eff that guy, we're handing it off to Williams, which they do. He scores. 48-17.
Arthur Smith goes apeshit on Allen after the game. Allen tries to explain he didn't call it but Smith refuses to listen to him.
The players, wow, you cannot do that. But I also think Smith is being a loser baby because if people run up the score on you, just take it. Be mad, fine, but my god don't be sanctimonious about it. But he probably knew he was about to get fired so I kind of understand him just being angry.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:32 AM ^
No issue with the players doing that. None.
What Smith did was treat Allen as an outlet for his season(s)-long frustrations and impending firing.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:41 AM ^
My only problem is running a play out of victory formation. I Have no problem with them wanting to get Williams a TD, but line up in I formation. That was BS
January 8th, 2024 at 12:04 PM ^
Yeah, I get that they probably had to do it in order to not get their HC to call a TO but it was a bit shitty. But at the same time, that's life in the NFL and I'm sure the Falcons will run it up the minute they get a chance.
January 8th, 2024 at 12:10 PM ^
Right, the victory formation is supposed to be kind of a peace offering. If it's just another formation from which you can run a real offensive play, don't be surprised if the defense starts treating it that way -- against the Saints or anyone else -- and levels an offensive player.
January 8th, 2024 at 1:00 PM ^
You mean like Alabama did on the last play of regulation? Because that, too, was from the so-called "victory formation".
January 8th, 2024 at 1:31 PM ^
There is a clear difference, to me at least, between a max protection kneel-down to avoid catastrophe in a one-score game -- where the defense sure as hell should try everything they can to disrupt the play -- versus a "victory formation" (up 24 points in this case) where both teams pretty much agree to run out the clock because the game is decided.
January 8th, 2024 at 1:55 PM ^
I understand your point - it's not about the formation, but the context.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:49 AM ^
No problem with straight up defying the coach? They probably ran it out of the victory formation to fool Allen so he wouldn't call a TO more than they did it to fool the defense.
January 8th, 2024 at 1:02 PM ^
Yes, no problem with that. Honestly, I have a problem with Allen NOT recognizing what his players did: that it was an opportunity for a player who had a difficult year to have a moment.
January 8th, 2024 at 1:15 PM ^
Scoring up 25+ points on a play they needed to trick the defense and their own HC is not one of those moments to be proud of.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:34 AM ^
Never thought Varsity Blues had such a big impact on Winston. I was able to snap a photo of the TD celebration last night:
January 8th, 2024 at 12:09 PM ^
Tweeter drank beers because... well, Tweeter drinks beer.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:38 AM ^
To me, the problem with what they did was that they ran it out of the victory formation - thus, tricking the defense into not taking it seriously. if you're going to run it from the 1, don't line up like you're going to take a knee.
Personally, I don't care if a team runs up the score, their opponent is being paid to stop them regardless of how much time is left. But, they shouldn't be fake-kneeling to do so.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:46 AM ^
I generally agree with this but would note that for the players, lining up in the formation the coach asked them to allowed them to avoid him detecting that they were about to go against him.
If they had lined up in any other formation he could have called a timeout, said "wtf are you guys doing??" and yanked Williams off the field.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:58 AM ^
and that probably would have been better for everyone except for Jamaal
January 8th, 2024 at 12:13 PM ^
The idea that the Saints needed to do this to get Jamaal one touchdown (for the entire season) is kinda pathetic. I think I'd be too embarrassed to run it in.
January 8th, 2024 at 1:19 PM ^
The idea that the Saints needed to do this to get Jamaal one touchdown (for the entire season) is kinda pathetic. I think I'd be too embarrassed to run it in.
This. That's some big brother rubbing it in on little brother Madden bullshit.
January 8th, 2024 at 2:02 PM ^
I'm willing to bet there is a deeper "why" on this that will eventually come out.
January 8th, 2024 at 12:45 PM ^
It might be a good excuse for the Saints to release some players.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:51 AM ^
Ryan Day to Patriots. "Some people find themselves in the end zone and think they scored a touchdown."
Actually it make some sense. I think his skill set is better suited to the NFL than to the NIL and I have to imagine he would want out of Ohio if the offer is good enough.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:55 AM ^
The football version is probably more like, "Some people get the ball at first and goal after a turnover and think they drove the length of the field."
January 8th, 2024 at 12:12 PM ^
I’ve never understood coaches who publicly bitch about late TD’s. If you don’t like it then use it fuel to get better. Don’t get indignant, get even.
January 8th, 2024 at 12:43 PM ^
Complaining that the other team hurt your feelings by scoring too many points is always a weak move.
January 8th, 2024 at 1:21 PM ^
Scoring was not the issue. The point is they did it on a fake kneel down trick play to get a meaningless touchdown.
January 8th, 2024 at 12:56 PM ^
Arthur Smith had a reason to be mad, IMO, if you're going to be in victory formation, don't run a play!
Jameis, that was all kinds of stupid on his part too. Actively defying his coach, and bragging (!!!) about defying his coach during the post-game interviews.
Also, after the TD, Jameis was fist pumping like the Saints just qualified for the playoffs. Which, no, they didn't.
January 8th, 2024 at 1:03 PM ^
In my kids football league (11 year olds) a coach was calling all passes and onside kicks up 45-14 late in the fourth. We all survived. I was ready to beat some ass but kept it all inside. How a grown ass man get so triggered by a one yard td run is beyond me. Who cares.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:38 AM ^
Commanders is such an awful name. No problem with ditching Redskins, but I hate Commanders.
January 8th, 2024 at 11:46 AM ^
Thankfully it's getting changed again. They have reached out to JH agent to interview him,BUT I still think Washington goes younger like a Ben Johnson
January 8th, 2024 at 11:47 AM ^
I don't follow the NFL and I was looking at the list and wondering who the fuck are the Commanders and why would anyone name a team that?
January 8th, 2024 at 11:51 AM ^
After having quite possibly having the most offensive mascot name well into the 21st century, Commanders is the most basic, arbitrary mascot that organization could roll with. Maybe some regional connection to “Commanders in Chief” but I’m guessing there has to be some other nickname to pay homage to for Washington. I believe Crooked Politicians was still available.
It’s pretty much a carbon copy of the pre-formatted mascot names assigned to new, generic expansion teams from Madden ‘03 and their play is about on par with that assessment as well.