"Black Monday," metaphorically the worst day on the NFL calendar, isn’t even 24 hours away. On a day when 18 teams are cleaning out their collective lockers going into an offseason they wish was still a few weeks away, several head coaches – along with their assistants and, by extension, families – will also be packing up ahead of a permanent change of address.
Two teams, the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants, decided weeks ago that they were headed in new directions in 2026, pulling the plugs on Brian Callahan and Brian Daboll, respectively, preemptively rather than let them unnecessarily twist in the wind before an inevitable axe fell. Will their dismissals serve as precursors for a larger HC bloodletting?
Before we find out officially, here are a few Black Monday predictions:
Since the start of the Super Bowl era – the 1966 season – six to seven head coaching openings, on average, materialize each year. As previously mentioned, two teams have already begun their searches. But if one were to set an over/under of, say, 3½ more firings in 2026, I’d be inclined to take the under. Several coaches this season have certainly fallen short of expectations, though quite a few have been victimized by circumstances largely beyond their control – whether they be injuries, weak rosters, poor quarterback play or maybe a combination thereof.
