The Monday following the final week of the NFL regular season is known as “Black Monday”. Some owners of teams who had lackluster seasons begin their organizational shakeups by firing their head coaches. As I’m writing this, two NFL coaches have fallen victim: Falcons Arthur Smith as well as Commanders Ron Rivera. This of course doesn’t include the Raiders Josh McDaniels, Chargers Brandon Staley, or the Colts Frank Reich who were all fired midseason. Let’s look at the confirmed firings as well as a possible firing and determine fair or unfair?
Ron Rivera
Washington has been a complete and total mess for years now. Between the Dan Snyder situation, all the different starting quarterbacks, and three different team names in a five year span, things have been downright ugly in the nation’s capital. It is in no way fair to blame all that on Rivera, but I do think this firing is fair.
Rivera went 26-40-1 in his four seasons, making the playoffs just one time as very fortunate 7-9 NFC East champions in 2020. The team has had countless starting quarterbacks the last few seasons, and although Sam Howell has shown flashes, it’s hard to be confident he’s their QB of the future. I think pairing either Drake Maye or Caleb Willaims with a new head coach is the best choice for Washington.
Arthur Smith
Arthur Smith went out like a players’ coach, sticking up for his guys after what was one of the worst displays of sportsmanship I’ve ever seen in the NFL. With 1:13 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Saints led by a score of 41-17 and had the ball at the Falcons one-yard line following a Tyron Mathiueu interception. Saints coach Dennis Allen apparently called for a victory formation, and that’s how the Saints offense lined up. They then went rogue, and handed the ball off to Jamaal Williams in order to get him his first TD of the season. Smith was understandably unhappy, and approached Allen and let him know just that. The two didn’t even shake hands. Ugly scene.
With all that being said, I definitely feel the Falcons were right to move on from Smith. Between not properly utilizing tight end Kyle Pitts, indecision at QB this year, and just the simple fact they’ve gone 7-10 in all three of his seasons at the helm, it’s time for a new coach in Atlanta. The Falcons are reportedly interested in Bill Belichick should he be available, according to Dianna Russini of the Athletic.
Bill Belichick
At least as I’m typing this, Bill Belichick remains head coach and de facto general manager of the New England Patriots. He and owner Robert Kraft are set to have a meeting this week to discuss his future, and it’s safe to say that meeting is the biggest non-playoff storyline this week in the NFL.
Belichick is one of the greatest coaches in league history. He’s won 6 Super Bowl titles (most all-time), and trails Don Shula by just 14 wins on the all time list if you include the postseason. But the lack of success without Tom Brady is hard to ignore. The Patriots have gone 28-38 in four seasons since he left, and have made the playoffs just once in that span. Their roster construction was among the worst in the league this season resulting in a 4-13 record, and a last-place finish in the AFC East.
Belichick should never draft another player in New England. He completely ignored crucial offensive team needs in last year’s draft, instead making several defensive selections and drafting two specialists. You could point to several choices he’s made in recent drafts as well as free agency to support why he shouldn’t be in charge of personal decisions anymore. To me, him continuing to make those choices is completely off the table.
If the Patriots can convince Belichick to relinquish GM duties and serve solely as the team’s head coach, I would give him another chance to right the ship next season. But the Patriots need a new GM with an updated scouting model to sign/draft the necessary pieces to improve one of the league’s worst offensive units.