Black Monday

"Black Monday" - The Monday following week 17 of the NFL season.  A day that has become synonymous with head coaches and other managerial positions get fired.  Most coaches might feel the wrath of Black Monday maybe 2 or 3 times at the most, however; for me it is a yearly dread.

I can't imagine any teams that made the playoffs will be making any changes at the top so of the teams that didn't make the playoffs..

 100% Safe
Bruce Arians - Arizona Cardinals
John Harbaugh - Baltimore Ravens
Mike Tomlin - Pittsburgh Steelers
Marc Trestman - Chicago Bears
Gus Bradley - Jacksonville Jaguars
Jeff Fisher - STL Rams

Not Sleeping Well...But Should Be Safe

Tom Coughlin - NY Giants
Down year this year, but good luck finding someone with a better resume.
-.560 winning %
- 5 playoff berths
- 3 NFC East Championships
- 2  NFC Conf. Championships
- 2 Super Bowl Rings
- 1 permanently frost bitten face


Mike Smith - Atlanta Falcons
I wanted to put him in the top group just based on how good they have been since his arrival.  However, anytime a team losses 8 or their final 10 anything can happen.  I think he gets a pass.

Doug Marrone - Buffalo Bills
"We are going to give C.J. Spiller the ball until he throws up."
-Doug Marrone, Aug. 2013 
CJ Spiller had more than 17 carries in a whopping 3 games so either Doug Marrone is a liar or CJ Spiller has a weak stomach.  Unless your nickname is Chud most coaches will get at least 2 years to show something so he should be safe.  With that said, this hire baffled me from the get go and there are definitely more appealing names on the market than Dougy.

Hey Rex you are probably going to keep your job...

Rex Ryan - New York Jets

I think that the fact that the Jets finished the year the way they did speaks volumes about how the players feel about him.  Everything you hear is how the players love to play for the guy and they showed it winning winning 3 out of 4 to finish the year on the heels of a 3 game losing streak.




Mike Munchak - Tennessee Titans
Didn't get to play with a full deck for most of the season and managed to motivate the team enough to finish the season with 2 wins.

Dennis Allen - Oakland Raiders
Pretty pathetic 8-24 record through 2 seasons.  He came in last year with zero expectations to contend and lived up to those expectations.  I think he will get another year.


Already Fired

Rob Chudzinski - Cleveland Browns
Pretty rare to see an NFL coach go one and done, but that is the case here.  Tough beat for this guy never playing with any consistency at the QB position.  The fact that the 28 times he went for it on 4th down was 9 more than the 4 place team says his aggression might have been a bit much.


Will Be Fired

Schwartz staying classy after a nice road win

Jim Schwartz - Detroit Lions
He has accumulated a record of 29-50.  For those of you that struggle with math or the ability to use a calculator that is a win % of .367.  That combined with the end of the year collapse should be enough to send this guy packing.  Aside from acting like a 16 year old girl and always playing with his hair my lasting memory from this jackass has to be...

Mike Shanahan - From the penthouse to the outhouse in just a year.  I don't disagree with how he handled RG3 down the stretch this season, but I think there is probably some behind the scenes stuff that the public isn't aware of.  Not having a 1st round pick in the upcoming draft isn't doing the new guy any favors either.  The "Shanarat" pic is so nice I had to use it twice.

Probably Get Fired

Greg Schiano - Tampa Bay Bucs 

After the start that Schiano and Bucs had this season for him to just make it through the season is quite an accomplishment.  Anytime a billboard pops up in your city suggesting that you should be fired things aren't good.  He actually had them playing pretty hard for a stretch, but at the end of the day I don't think his "chop wood" style that was so successful when coaching middle class 18-22 year old kids is going to work with full grown adults who also happen to be making high 6 and 7 figures a year.

Joe Philbin - Miami Dolphins

I spoke of a 2 year rule earlier.  Joe has had his 2 years and lost as favorites in week 16 and 17 with a playoff birth on the line.  The sour taste that the brass has in Miami might just put Joey P. in the soup line.

Yes Garrett 3 times...

Jason Garrett - Dallas Cowboys

8-8 for the 3rd straight season.  Losing in a week 17 do-or-die for the 3rd straight season.  I know he isn't the one out there throwing those interceptions at the worst possible times but at the end of the day something needs to change and the head coach position is probably a good place start.

Leslie Frazier - Minnesota Vikings

.387 win % and a one and done wildcard in 2012 just isn't enough in 3 seasons of work in this day and age.  They made some serious moves in the off season / draft to contend this year and 5-10-1 cannot be what Wario...I mean Zygi had in mind. The Vikings will have a new stadium in 2014 and probably a new coach as well.

Some of these guys will be spending their "Black Monday" the way I do.  It usually starts out with a good cry.  From there usually some time spent in a dark room in denial.  Eventually it turns into reminiscing about the good times.  These guys don't have it so bad though they usually only feel the Black Monday pain once or twice in a lifetime.