NFL coaches fired in 2026: Latest news on Pete Carroll, John Harbaugh, others on Black Monday hot seat

By | January 5, 2026
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Fourteen NFL teams are looking ahead to the playoffs, but for everyone else, it’s on to the offseason.

Before free agency and the draft take center stage, the coaching carousel will be the first to heat up. Just don’t expect it to be quite as busy as it was in 2024 or 2025.

While the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants both made midseason coaching changes, the combination of back-to-back active cycles over the previous two years and late-season surges from a few teams with coaches on the hot seat could leave this January quieter than normal on the coaching front.

That doesn’t mean nothing will happen, though. Some coaches’ statuses remained up in the air in Week 18, and it wouldn’t be the NFL offseason without a surprise.

Here’s what you need to know about every coach who might be on the hot seat.

MORE: 10 longest-tenured head coaches in NFL history

NFL coaches fired in 2025-2026

Pete Carroll, Raiders

Date: Jan. 5 

The Las Vegas Raiders announced the firing of head coach Pete Carroll after one season on Monday. Carroll, who won a Super Bowl during a 14-year run with the Seattle Seahawks and became the oldest head coach in NFL history with the Raiders, went just 3-14 in his only season in Las Vegas. Between a disjointed offense and a lack of competitiveness down the stretch, Carroll ended up on the hot seat despite his impressive track record. Now, the Raiders are set to hire their 13th full-time head coach in a span of 25 seasons.  

Kevin Stefanski, Browns

Date: Jan. 5 

Stefanski became the first victim of Black Monday. He finishes his tenure with Cleveland with a 45-56 total record and going 1-2 in two playoff appearances. Stefanski was named the NFL’s Head Coach of the Year in 2020 and again in 2023. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Stefanski will be a highly sought after head coach this cycle. GM Andrew Berry will remain with the franchise. 

MORE: Ranking Browns’ best candidates to replace Kevin Stefanski

Raheem Morris, Falcons

Date: Jan. 4

Atlanta ended the 2025 regular season with a four-game win streak. The Falcons even finished in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC South, but the tiebreakers favored the Carolina Panthers who earned their first division title despite losing in Week 18 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Morris was at the helm for two seasons with the Falcons and went 8-9 in both seasons. 

Brian Daboll, Giants

Date: Nov. 10

The Giants fired coach Brian Daboll on Nov. 10, after blowing yet another lead in a loss to the Chicago Bears a day earlier. New York gained momentum after benching Russell Wilson for Jaxson Dart in September, even knocking off the Eagles in a prime-time slot, but the Giants had a penchant for blowing leads this season, including a 19-point meltdown against the Denver Broncos. Daboll went 20-40-1 over less than four seasons in New York.

Brian Callahan, Titans

Date: Oct. 13

After a dismal 1-5 start with their offense among the worst in the NFL, the Titans fired coach Brian Callahan in the middle of his second season. Tennessee resisted making Callahan a one-and-done coach in 2024, bringing him back after a 3-14 season and giving him the chance to develop No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward, but the Titans showed little improvement over the first six games of the season before Mike McCoy replaced Callahan on an interim basis. Callahan went 4-19 over 23 games in Nashville.

MORE: The NFL’s highest paid coaches in 2025

NFL coaches on the hot seat

Jonathan Gannon, Cardinals

After a four-win improvement in 2024, the hope was the Arizona Cardinals would make a playoff leap in 2025. Instead, they completely unraveled after a 2-0 start, losing 13 of their next 14 games and suffering five losses by margins of 20 points or more from November onward. While the Cardinals’ major change could be moving on from Kyler Murray, which seems like a near certainty, it might be hard for Arizona to justify Gannon returning for a fourth season.

Though, some believe that Gannon will return to Arizona in 2026. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the general sense around Arizona is Gannon will be the head coach next season, “this time with a QB that he’s involved in selecting along with GM Monti Ossenfort.” However, owner Michael Bidwill hasn’t made a firm decision yet.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter says that the feeling around the league is that Gannon will remain safe for next season. There is a strong belief that the Cardinals are moving on from Kyler Murray, and therefore, the owners want to give Gannon a chance to find his own quarterback.

Mike Tomlin, Steelers

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has still never had a losing season in nearly two decades in Pittsburgh, but the 2025 is shaping up to look much like 2024. The Steelers faded after an early hot start and taken a couple of surprise losses, including their Week 17 defeat at the hands of the Browns when they had a chance to clinch the AFC North.

Pittsburgh lucked out from a missed Tyler Loup field goal in Week 18 to win the division and clinch the No. 4 seed in the AFC playoffs. The win doesn’t guarantee that Tomlin will be in town come 2026. The Steelers have made the playoffs six times since 2017. Five of the postseason appearances ended in their first game, with four of them being in the Wild Card round. Pittsburgh fans are used to winning Lombardies, and another first-round exit, especially at home, will not quiet the “Fire Tomlin” chants if they lose to the Houston Texans. 

A report by Albert Breer suggested the Steelers already know who they would turn to if they part ways with Tomlin. Rams DC Chris Shula, grandson of Don Shula, would be the frontrunner for the job. 

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports there is a feeling that Tomlin will be back, at least to finish his contract. Conversations will still be had, but he’s leaning towards being safe.

Fox’s Jay Glazer believes that if Tomlin is not the coach for the Steelers next season, it would be his own doing. He does not think the Steelers would fire Tomlin.

MORE: Ranking Steelers’ best candidates to replace Mike Tomlin

John Harbaugh, Ravens

On the other side of the Steelers-Ravens rivalry is John Harbaugh, who has done battle with Tomlin for 18 years. Even with Lamar Jackson’s injuries playing a major role, the Ravens have to be disappointed with how the season has played out. Baltimore entered Week 17 under .500 and on the verge of elimination, though an AFC North title remained in play. A perfect example of the Ravens season occurred, when they had a 44-yard field goal attempt to win the game and division, but rookie kicker Tyler Loop shanked it wide right, ending Baltimore’s season.

After so much success with Jackson healthy in 2023 and 2024, the Ravens’ likeliest path is to just try to reshape the roster as best they can for 2026, but Harbaugh’s job status could come into question if frustration mounts. 

ESPN’s Adam Schefter leans safe with Harbaugh, but thinks there should be more focus on this situation than on Tomlin’s. 

MORE: Ranking Ravens’ best candidates to replace John Harbaugh

Mike McDaniel, Dolphins

After a 2-7 start to the season, Mike McDaniel and the Miami Dolphins have turned the season around, going 5-2 over the seven games leading into Week 18. That might’ve help save McDaniel’s job, as McDaniel needed a strong finish to prove why he should remain in the role.

The Dolphins will be looking for a new general manager in the offseason after firing Chris Grier, so it’s possible that hire will help decide McDaniel’s fate. However, NFL Network reports that McDaniel will likely return for a fifth season.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is also leaning towards McDaniel being safe for the time being. 

Todd Bowles, Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ late-season collapse has led some to wonder whether coach Todd Bowles could be on the hot seat. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, he isn’t likely to be fired. “They’ve won three-straight division titles and still have a possibility of winning their fourth. Does that sound like someone who should be in trouble? I’d say certainly not,” Rapoport said. If the Buccaneers miss the playoffs, though, it might be hard for the organization to ignore questions about the fourth-year coach’s status.

Though, with the Buccaneers extending Bowles in the offseason, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reported that it seems unlikely Tampa Bay fires the head coach, who has a 34-33 record entering a must-win Week 18 contest against the Carolina Panthers.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Buccaneers do not want to make a coaching change, and the belief is that Bowles is safe.

Zac Taylor, Bengals

It’s easy to blame Joe Burrow’s injury for the Cincinnati Bengals’ failures in 2025, but the team still lost winnable games with and without their star losing to the New York Jets without Burrow and getting shut out by the Ravens with him. Still, reports indicated that wasn’t likely to cost Zac Taylor his job, and back-to-back blowout wins leading into Week 18 indicate the typically loyal Bengals will stick with their head coach for a seventh season with hopes Burrow can stay healthy in 2026.

Team President Mike Brown released a statement following the Week 18 loss to the Cleveland Browns, announcing that Taylor would be retained for the 2026 season. 

MORE: Revisiting Aaron Glenn’s playing career

Aaron Glenn, Jets

One-and-done head coaches have become a bit more common in the NFL over the past decade, so speculation about Aaron Glenn’s job status has bubbled up among fans as the New York Jets have limped to the finish line. While New York doesn’t have much talent on the field with Garrett Wilson and two quarterbacks injured plus two core defensive pieces traded away, tangible progress has been hard to find for Gang Green. That still isn’t expected to cost Glenn his job. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer declared, “he’ll be safe,” when discussing Glenn’s status in Week 17, and owner Woody Johnson, for all his flaws, isn’t known to be too volatile with coaches.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport believes the same when it comes to Glenn, saying “the Jets are bringing back Aaron Glenn for a second season as head coach. The question is, how significant will changes be to his staff?”

ESPN’s Adam Schefter shares this same belief and reports that the Jets are committed to Glenn despite the struggles.

Fox’s Jay Glazer firmly claims that Glenn is safe for next season.

Sean McDermott, Bills

It might seem surprising to see an accomplished and respected head coach such as Sean McDermott in the conversation of potential firings. However, despite the regular-season success and a good record in Buffalo, playoff success ultimately threatens McDermott’s future.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter labels McDermott as safe, but if Buffalo loses in the playoffs, the belief is that conversations would be had about potentially firing McDermott.

Shane Steichen, Colts

It’s been a drastic turn of events for everyone in Indianapolis. After a successful start this season, the Colts were considered potential Super Bowl contenders. However, this was before losing Daniel Jones to a season-ending injury. Since Jones went down in Week 14, the Colts didn’t win a game. Indianapolis finished the season 8-9 and missed the playoffs. 

ESPN’s Adam Schefter said before Week 18 that Steichen was leaning toward being safe, and he confirmed after Indianapolis’ season finale that Steichen and GM Chris Ballard will both return for 2026.

Matt LaFleur, Packers

While there are no major rumors of Matt LaFleur getting fired, his job security continues to be questioned weekly. Depending on how the season ends for the Packers, it will provide a clearer picture of LaFleur’s future.

Fox’s Jay Glazer places Lafleur in the “time will tell” category and believes it would be crazy for the Packers to move on.

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