NFL Week 14 Coaching Carousel: Black Monday Looms as Teams Face Tough Decisions
Week 14 of the 2025 NFL season is in the rearview mirror, and with just three games left on the schedule, the playoff race is tightening-but so is the pressure on head coaches across the league. While some teams are surging toward January football, others are staring down another lost season, and the question now becomes: who’s next on the chopping block?
We’ve already seen the first dominoes fall. The Tennessee Titans and New York Giants have both parted ways with their head coaches, signaling that the season’s final stretch won’t just be about playoff positioning-it’s also about job security. And according to reports, those two firings are likely just the beginning.
NFL insider Josina Anderson is hearing that six more coaching changes could be coming once the regular season wraps up in Week 18. That would bring the total to eight vacancies-nearly a quarter of the league’s head coaching jobs up for grabs.
The timing isn’t surprising. The Monday after the regular season ends has earned the nickname “Black Monday” for a reason-it's when teams hit the reset button, often in dramatic fashion.
Anderson, citing a league source, says several owners are already preparing for coaching changes. While she didn’t list all six expected firings, four names have surfaced:
- Pete Carroll - Raiders
- Raheem Morris - Falcons
- Jonathan Gannon - Cardinals
- Kevin Stefanski - Browns
Each of these situations comes with its own context, but the common thread is unmet expectations. The Raiders brought in Carroll hoping his experience would stabilize the franchise, but the results haven’t matched the vision.
In Atlanta, Morris has struggled to get consistent play out of a talented but underperforming roster. Gannon’s Cardinals have shown flashes, but the rebuild has been slower than hoped.
And in Cleveland, Stefanski’s tenure has been a rollercoaster-one that may be nearing its final drop.
Beyond those four, there’s speculation swirling around a few more names. Mike McDaniel in Miami and Aaron Glenn with the New York Jets are both reportedly on thin ice. If those situations deteriorate further, the number of openings could climb to eight.
Then there’s the situation in Pittsburgh. Mike Tomlin’s name has come up in recent reports-not because he’s on the hot seat, but because there’s talk he may choose to step away on his own terms.
Similar to how Sean Payton took a break before returning to the sidelines, Tomlin could opt for a sabbatical. However, sources close to the team insist that Tomlin won’t be fired-his future will be entirely in his hands.
His contract expires at the end of this season, but the Steelers hold a two-year option, giving them flexibility if he decides to stay.
And for now, Tomlin’s not exactly coaching like a man ready to walk away. The Steelers just knocked off the Ravens 27-22, climbing into first place in the AFC North. That kind of win, in a rivalry game with playoff implications, is the kind of statement that reminds everyone why Tomlin’s job security has never really been in question.
As we head into the final three weeks of the regular season, the coaching landscape is as fluid as ever. Some teams are fighting for postseason spots.
Others are already looking ahead to 2026. And for a handful of head coaches, these next few weeks might be their final audition-not just for their current team, but for any future opportunity in the league.
Black Monday is coming. And for several franchises, the decisions made in the next month could shape their future for years to come.