Black Monday Firings Breakdown: Kevin Stefanski, Raheem Morris, Jonathan Gannon, Pete Carroll’s Exit Explained

A total of four head coaches were axed in the latest rendition of the NFL’s annual Black Monday event, and the only thing that’s more unfortunate than the firings themselves is the fact that almost none of them came as a surprise. For better or worse, the desire to compete has never been stronger, and that has now resulted in six head coaching vacancies being posted throughout the league.

Some, like Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns, were fired after multiple years of trying to turn things around. While others, such as the Las Vegas Raiders’ Pete Carroll, were let go after just one season. According to Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr, the former’s “dance card is going to be very full,” highlighting the fact that overturn is a very normal and, in fact, healthy part of the postseason process.

“This could be his last stand,” Orr noted in reference to the Browns’ GM, Andrew Berry, who will likely be facing some pressure if and when Stefanski succeeds elsewhere. “This is Mayfield 2.0. Stefanski is going somewhere… He’s going to interview thoroughly over the next couple of weeks… And he’s going to win wherever he goes.”

It’s a perfect example of how the firings and signings of head coaches aren’t just some guilt-free endeavor, and that there’s always someone who is going to pay the price for the regular-season shortcomings of these teams. After all, there’s a reason why it costs more to see a winning football team.

Another franchise that made a rather unsurprising announcement on Monday was the Atlanta Falcons, who decided to part ways with Raheem Morris after the former play-caller for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers produced nothing more than a pair of 8-9 win seasons throughout the last two years. With the trio of Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Kyle Pitts, it’s been believed that Atlanta has one of the more capable offenses in the NFL, so their losses have been particularly disheartening.

And lastly are the Arizona Cardinals, who, having endured three consecutive losing seasons, decided to fire Jonathan Gannon. The Cardinals closed the season on a nine-game losing streak, only beating the Dallas Cowboys and half of the NFC South throughout the entirety of the 2025 regular season.

With just 15 wins in the past three seasons, it seems as if the Cardinals are beginning to clean house, as they are also rumored to be moving on from their quarterback, Kyler Murray, this offseason as well. Simply put, things don’t stay the same for long, especially in the world of professional football.