We’re less than a month away from the end of the 2023 NFL regular season, and three teams already have fired their head coaches.
The Raiders started the coaching carousel on Nov. 1, parting ways with both coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler. On Nov. 27, the Panthers fired Frank Reich, who has now been fired in back-to-back seasons. Then, on Dec. 15, the Chargers dismissed coach Brandon Staley and GM Tom Telesco. Plus, four coordinators have been let go over the past two months, and there will be more openings soon.
Here’s everything you need to know about the latest NFL head coach movement, with news and intel on open jobs, pros and cons for each opening and candidates who could be in the mix for interviews. Plus, we have updates on offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator openings.
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Chargers | Panthers | Raiders
Coordinators who have been fired
Head coach openings
Former coach: Brandon Staley (fired Dec. 15)
Record with Chargers: 24-24 over three seasons
What happened: After 2½ seasons highlighted by lofty expectations and routine letdowns, the Chargers fired Staley and Telesco after their 63-21 drubbing by the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15.
The Chargers reached the playoffs once under Staley (2022), exiting in the wild-card round with a 27-point blown lead to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the third-largest comeback in playoff history. He became the second Chargers head coach to be fired midseason since 1970, joining Kevin Gilbride, who was fired in 1998. The Chargers hired Staley because of his success as a defensive coordinator with the Los Angeles Rams in 2020, but his defenses struggled the past three seasons.
Pros of the L.A. job: With Justin Herbert locked into a long-term deal, the new coach will inherit one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in his prime. Los Angeles might also be picking in the top 10 of April’s NFL draft, where it could select an impact player.
Cons of the L.A. job: The Chargers are projected to be $34.8 million over the salary cap next year, according to ESPN’s Roster Management System. The new general manager might have to restructure or trade the contracts of some of the team’s stars, including Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa. There’s also the Chargers’ place in Los Angeles’ sports landscape, where they are somewhat of an afterthought. They essentially play 17 road games, as opposing fans dominate SoFi Stadium, and they rely on a silent snap count at home.
Latest intel: The Chargers named outside linebackers coach Giff Smith the interim coach and JoJo Wooden interim general manager. It was the first time they fired a coach and general manager midseason, and team owner Dean Spanos said it was because they “are clearly not where we expect to be” and needed a new vision. “Doing nothing in the name of continuity was not a risk I was willing to take,” he said. — Kris Rhim
Former coach: Frank Reich (fired Nov. 27)
Record with Panthers: 1-10 in lone season
What happened: Team owner David Tepper fired Reich less than 24 hours after the owner left the locker room muttering an expletive following a 17-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 12.
Reich’s tenure at Carolina ended with an NFL-worst 1-10 record, including an 0-6 mark on the road. He also becomes the first NFL head coach since the 1970 merger to be fired in back-to-back seasons after last year’s dismissal from the Indianapolis Colts.
Special teams coach Chris Tabor was appointed as interim coach, while offensive coordinator Thomas Brown assumed playcalling duties with help from senior assistant Jim Caldwell.
Pros of the Carolina job: The Panthers have a quarterback who will be entering the second year of a rookie deal and almost $40 million in cap space to build around him. They have the nucleus of a solid defense in Brian Burns, Derrick Brown and Jaycee Horn. They have the NFL’s second-wealthiest owner who is willing to pay top dollar for the coach and staff.
Cons of the Carolina job: Tepper has changed coaches three times in five seasons, so he has shown a lack of patience. He also has a reputation for being too hands-on in terms of football decisions. The offensive line is a mess, the receiving corps is below average and Young still has to prove he can be the franchise player the Panthers felt he would be when they picked him No. 1 in the 2023 draft.
Latest intel: Tepper plans to interview “a lot of candidates,” according to one league source with knowledge of the situation. The overwhelming sentiment around the league is that he will focus on a young, offensive-minded coach such as Detroit Lions coordinator Ben Johnson or Miami Dolphins coordinator Frank Smith. The biggest question that remains: Will general manager Scott Fitterer, who was a big part of last year’s coaching search, keep his job? There are no guarantees. — David Newton
Former coach: Josh McDaniels (fired Nov. 1)
Record with Panthers: 9-16 over two seasons
What happened: The Raiders fired McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler one day after losing 26-14 at Detroit on “Monday Night Football,” their second consecutive defeat in which the team’s offense could get no traction. With the defeat, the Raiders dropped to 3-5.
McDaniels and Ziegler, both hired in January 2022, inherited a 10-7 team that made an unexpected run to the playoffs during the 2021 season. The Raiders named linebackers coach Antonio Pierce as their interim coach. The team also said that assistant general manager Champ Kelly will serve as interim GM.
Pros of the Las Vegas job: The Raiders play in a state-of-the art stadium that will host the Super Bowl in February, and their home base is the “Taj Mahal” of NFL facilities, per Patriots coach Bill Belichick. There is elite talent under contract on both sides of the ball, from receiver Davante Adams to edge rusher Maxx Crosby to specialists AJ Cole, the punter, and Daniel Carlson, the kicker. Plus, there is no state income tax in Nevada.
Cons of the Las Vegas job: The franchise is snakebit, with only two playoff appearances in the past 20 seasons, and continuity is a foreign concept as the Raiders have had 13 different coaches, regular and interim, in the same time frame. The team has given rookie Aidan O’Connell every opportunity to win the starting quarterback gig, but the jury is still out, at best. To move up in the 2024 draft to grab one of the top two QB prospects, the Raiders would probably have to trade Adams, and that probably defeats the purpose for immediate success, especially in a division that is also home to the Chiefs. Which means any coach probably needs a three-year window to implement his plan.
Latest intel: The Raiders’ team-record 63-21 thrashing of the Chargers in Week 15 probably helped Pierce shed the interim coach tag as much as the 3-0 loss four days earlier hurt him. One thing is for sure, though: The Raiders are playing hard for Pierce and Kelly. “We love those guys,” said right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor.
Pierce is comfortable enough that he brought in veteran coaches Marvin Lewis and Tom Coughlin as unofficial pseudo-advisors. “Mentors and gentlemen who’ve been with me since I was 22, 23 years old,” he said. “Their knowledge and wisdom is beyond anything I can ever try to mimic … in the building. You’re talking about 40 years of experience between Coach Coughlin and Marvin Lewis. They’ve seen it, they’ve done it, they’ve built programs and organizations from the ground up. They turned bad organizations to really good ones, and ones that have been winning programs. So why not learn from them? I’d be a fool not to use my resources.” — Paul Gutierrez
Coordinator openings
Former defensive coordinator: Jack Del Rio (fired Nov. 24)
The Commanders fired Del Rio after a 45-10 loss to the Cowboys, which was their eighth loss in 10 games. They had hoped the defense would be a consistent force, but instead, the defense became an albatross, as the team ranked worst in points allowed. Coach Ron Rivera took over the defensive playcalling for the rest of the season.
Former offensive coordinator: Matt Canada (fired Nov. 21)
Citing offensive inconsistencies and lack of improvement, the Steelers fired Canada, who had been the Steelers’ offensive coordinator since 2021. Pittsburgh’s offense struggled through Canada’s tenure as offensive coordinator, never eclipsing 400 yards of offense in his 45-game career, including the playoffs. Running backs coach Eddie Faulkner took over offensive coordinator duties, but quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan will take the “bulk” of the playcalling responsibilities.
Former offensive coordinator: Ken Dorsey (fired Nov. 14)
The Bills made a big change amid a downward turn to a season trending below expectations, firing Dorsey and naming quarterbacks coach Joe Brady as his interim replacement. The move came hours after Buffalo’s loss to the Denver Broncos on “Monday Night Football,” as the Bills turned the ball over four times and had a season-high four drops.
Former offensive coordinator: Mick Lombardi (fired Nov. 1)
When the Raiders parted ways with coach McDaniels and general manager Ziegler, they also fired Lombardi, with quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree being promoted to offensive coordinator. At the time, the Raiders had the No. 31 total offense in the NFL, ranked No. 32 in rushing yards per game (70) and ranked No. 30 in points per game (15.8).
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