NFL Black Monday Tracker: The latest news and rumors from around the league (Head Coaches, Coordinators, General Managers)

[December 30] The Browns have requested permission to interview New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

[December 29] Shortly after their 33-23 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, head coach Freddie Kitchens was relieved of his duties. He becomes only the second head coach fired after one season in the Haslam era.

[December 28] In this week’s playoff edition of the College Football Live Blog, Pauline had some news to share in the 5:10 PM update regarding the current situation the team finds themselves in. According to Pauline, rumors have been running rampant all day as to what may happen in Cleveland with the Browns next week. Throughout the day, he learned of several updates from a number of sources including:

• Dorsey’s return next year is not a guarantee, and several people feel he could be a casualty of the 2019 season and be fired next week. While this is a possibility, everyone Pauline spoke with feels it would be a mistake to fire Dorsey, something he agrees with.
• If Kitchens is retained, he will have to relinquish the play-calling duties. Several scenarios, including bringing in a new offensive coordinator to call plays, were laid out to Pauline.
• Another scenario is a compromise between Dorsey and Haslam, where Kitchens is fired, and the team hires a new head coach. Several people threw around the name of Mike McCarthy as a definite possibility.

[December 28] On the eve of the season finale in Cleveland, there is still plenty of questions surrounding the team. According to what sources have told Allbright, the internal dysfunction has not gotten any better since our report several weeks ago.

One person who is looking to have his voice heard more within the organization is Paul DePodesta. DePodesta’s advice has been ignored twice – once when he wanted to hire Sean McDermott and the second when he wanted to hire Kevin Stefanski. Both times, owner Jimmy Haslam chose someone different for the head coach position – Hue Jackson and Freddie Kitchens, respectively.

One of the bigger reasons for promoting Kitchens was the hope that Baker Mayfield would continue to develop with a familiar voice and system. But now, change may be coming a year later.

Allbright is hearing that the disagreement between management and ownership continues when it comes to the status of Kitchens. Rumor has it that Dee Haslam wants Josh McDaniels while GM John Dorsey would like to retain Kitchens.

Throughout this, Haslam has been consulting with Urban Meyer (who has all of the sudden turned into a coaching consultant [Washington, Colorado State]). All that said, Haslam is super sensitive about the Browns reputation as an unstable franchise. All options remain on the table for the organization.

[December 26] A combined report from Allbright and Pauline states that there appears to be a disagreement in Cleveland regarding the status of head coach Freddie Kitchens. GM John Dorsey wants to retain Kitchens while owner Jimmy Haslam would strongly consider moving on from Kitchens. However, we have not heard that any final decision has been made.

[December 30] According to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, the Giants have fired head coach Pat Shurmur. A once stable franchise, they have now fired their second head coach in the last three years.

[December 29] As we’ve reported here from both Allbright and Pauline, expect Baylor Head Coach Matt Rhule to be a favorite for the head coach position if the Giants part ways with Pat Shurmur.

[December 26] A lot of people in the league are telling Pauline that they think the New York Giants have no choice but to move on from Pat Shurmur and they expect him to be released at the end of the season. However, it’s going to come down to what ownership thinks of Daniel Jones’ development and how that may play out in 2020 and beyond.

If the position opens, Pauline says that Baylor head coach Matt Rhule will be intrigued by the possibility of coaching the Giants. If Shurmur is retained, he could fire defensive coordinator James Bettcher.

Allbright reports that as of earlier this week (December 22), no final determination has been made. However, general manager Dave Gettleman and head coach Pat Shurmur are on extremely shaky ground.

Because of the indecision that currently exists, this one might go beyond Black Monday and linger into the week.

[December 30] Allbright reports that as of 1:00 PM EST, Rivera to the Redskins is 99% official. They are talking over final contract language and assistants while he is flying to Virginia. You can expect an announcement tonight.

[December 30] Allbright is now reporting that if Ron Rivera is to get the head coaching position for Washington, he is considering keeping Kevin O’Connell as offensive coordinator. He would also consider bringing in Steve Wilks as his defensive coordinator. Wilks is currently with the Cleveland Browns in that same role.

[December 30] Owner Dan Snyder released a statement stating that Bruce Allen was no longer with the organization: “As this season concludes, Bruce Allen has been relieved of his duties as president of the Washington Redskins and is no longer with the organization. Like our passionate fan base, I recognize we have not lived up to the high standards set by great Redskins teams, coaches and players who have come before us. As we reevaluate our team leadership, culture and process for winning football games, I am excited for opportunities that lie ahead to renew our singular focus and purpose of bringing championship football back to Washington D.C.”

[December 29] Allbright says to keep an eye on Eric Schaffer (Senior VP of Football Operations) and Kyle Smith (Director of College Scouting. Both may have increased roles within the organization. Allbright states that they are working on a complete power re-structure in Washington.

[December 29] Sources have told Pauline that unless Ron Rivera turns in a poor interview with the Redskins on Monday, expect the team to move quickly to make him head coach. Several people have told Pauline the job could be offered to Rivera some time tomorrow. Allbright can also confirm this through his sources.

According to Pauline, people close to the situation say there are several reasons for this including 1) Rivera is the top choice of Daniel Snyder and 2) If the Redskins let Rivera out of the building tomorrow, they are afraid he could be scooped up by another organization.

Teams mentioned as possible destinations for Rivera include the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, two teams who could soon have head coaching openings.

[December 28] According to JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington, Redskins team president Bruce Allen will no longer be running the team’s football operations. It is unclear what, if any, role he will continue to have with the team, but it looks like changes have started in Washington after nearly a decade with Allen.

[December 28] According to Allbright, another name that has surfaced as a potential head coaching candidate in Washington is former Cincinnati Bengals HC Marvin Lewis. After being dismissed from the Bengals, Lewis became an assistant for Arizona State. He’s spent the past few months coaching alongside Herm Edwards. Lewis is considered a strong contender for the Redskins position.

[December 27] According to Allbright and Pauline, it is likely that the Redskins will fire Bruce Allen at the end of the 2019 season. However, sources did not give names to Pauline in regard to who will replace Allen.

When it comes to the coaching staff, Allbright is hearing that the interim staff will be let go on Black Monday, with the possible exception of offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell. Word within league circles is that owner Dan Snyder wants to move quickly on selecting his next head coach.

As Allbright has reported here, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy appears to be one of the early frontrunners on the Redskins list of head coach candidates. But you can also add one more to the mix – former Panthers head coach Ron Rivera.

Allbright is hearing that Snyder has largely gone about the head coach search in a private manner, but has sought input from Urban Meyer.

[December 26] The Redskins will begin their process in earnest following Week 17’s matchup against the New York Giants. There have been whispers regarding the status of President Bruce Allen, but no decision has been made. According to Allbright, absolutely no decision on the future head coach has been made at this point.

[December 26] A combined report from Allbright and Pauline states that barring a Super Bowl appearance, owner/general manager Jerry Jones is likely to move on from head coach Jason Garrett as early as Black Monday if the Cowboys don’t make the playoffs. Expect Lincoln Riley, Matt Rhule, and Urban Meyer to be the top candidates for the position.

[December 26] Allbright reports that defensive coordinator Wade Phillips may not return in 2020. His contract expires at the end of the season and has already been putting out feelers around the league. 

[December 26] The Philadelphia Eagles have had a disappointing season, but they still find themselves to win the NFC East and a playoff berth in Week 17. Regardless of what happens, we are told head coach Doug Pederson is safe. However, he is considering firing defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz along with several other assistants.

[December 30] Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury announced that Vance Joseph would return in 2020.

[December 26] Allbright reports that defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is on the hot seat in Arizona. Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury says they will take a hard look at every position coach and coordinator on the staff following the season.

[December 27] Heading into the last quarter of the 2019 NFL season, head coach Dan Quinn’s seat was on fire. However, the Falcons have put together a string of victories over the past several weeks and he was making a case for owner Arthur Blank to keep him for another season. On December 27, Blank announced that Quinn, along with GM Thomas Dimitroff, would return for the 2020 season. It was also announced that Raheem Morris will serve as defensive coordinator.

Previously, Allbright had reported that had Quinn been fired, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels would likely have been one of the top candidates.

[December 26] The Baltimore Ravens locked up the number one seed in the 2019 NFL Playoffs and the road to the Super Bowl will run through them. Head coach John Harbaugh is as safe as they come.

[December 26] Head Coach Sean McDermott is building something special in Buffalo with a dominant defense and a strong-armed quarterback in Josh Allen. The Bills are ascending and 2020 may be the year where they are able to knock off the Patriots from the AFC East throne.

[December 26] Head Coach Matt Nagy has overseen a disappointing Bears season and there are plenty of questions surrounding quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Nagy will be back, but there have been calls for general manager Ryan Pace to be fired. However, we have not heard anything regarding that and expect both to return in 2020.

[December 26] The Cincinnati Bengals are the worst team in the NFL and will hold the number one overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. However, head coach Zac Taylor is safe and will enter this offseason with sights on a franchise quarterback. Presumably, that means Joe Burrow from LSU.

[December 26] Head Coach Vic Fangio is overseeing a rebuild and they’ve done a masterful job of setting up rookie quarterback Drew Lock to have success this season. With talented (but young) players on both sides of the ball, Fangio will look to continue building this Broncos team back into a contender.

[December 26] The Detroit Lions ownership announced on December 17 that both head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn will be back for another season. However, the expectation is that they are competing for a playoff spot deep into 2020.

[December 26] Bill O’Brien will be back for another season in 2020. The Texans already announced that they will not be filling the general manager position and O’Brien will continue to assume control of those responsibilities. 

[December 26] Although the Colts have had a disappointing season, it’s hard to fault head coach Frank Reich, especially when Andrew Luck announced his retirement during the preseason. The Colts, for the most part, have been competitive this season and GM Chris Ballard will look to fill in the missing pieces this offseason, including a franchise quarterback. 

[December 26] Head Coach Matt LaFleur has done a nice job with the Packers this season and they are in a position to grab the number one, two, or three seed in the playoffs. Although quarterback Aaron Rodgers hasn’t been lighting the world on fire, LaFleur has brought a balanced attack on offense and he’ll look to improve that the rest of 2019 and beyond.

[December 31] Owner Shahid Khan announced on Tuesday that Doug Marrone and GM Dave Caldwell will return for another season in 2020. The full statement from Khan reads:

I have met on several occasions over the past few days with Dave Caldwell, Doug Marrone and their staffs to fully understand their plans to reverse our course and compete for a postseason berth in 2020. In addition, I held numerous one-on-one meetings with players on Monday and thoroughly appreciated their candor and thoughtful views – some expected, some not – on the season behind us and where we go from here.

While our discussions will remain confidential, the decision I am making to keep our staff intact for 2020 has nothing to do with our victory on Sunday and everything to do with my positive meetings with Dave, Doug, the coordinators and our players, as well as my belief that this is not the time to consider an overhaul of our organization.

The 2019 season was unacceptable and I’ve made my dissatisfaction clear. While many unusual circumstances influenced our season, none can fully explain or defend our second-half collapse with first place in the division within reach on Week 9. At the same time, there were positive developments and contributions that should not be overlooked.

We came out of our AFC Championship Game season of 2017 by making a four-year commitment to the collective leadership of our football operations. Only two seasons have passed and one change from that leadership team has already been made. I want to see what we produce under a new organizational structure in 2020. Goals have been established. Accountability will be paramount.

As part of our new framework, the position of Executive Vice President of Football Operations will not be filled in 2020. Dave and Doug will each continue to report directly to me, as they have since mid-December. Our work begins immediately. We have a lot of draft capital in our favor to help us achieve our goals for 2020, and beyond.

Finally, I was struck and impressed, but not surprised, by the strong showing of our fans Sunday at TIAA Bank Field. The euphoria and passion was genuine and appreciated by everyone with our team, and that goes double for me. My sincere thanks to everyone. It was a moment that underlines the fact that nothing beats having a winning football team. It’s my obligation to deliver one to Jacksonville in 2020.

[December 28] According to Allbright, a name to watch for the Jaguars head coaching position, if it were to become available, is Robert Saleh. Saleh is on his third season as defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, his 15th year as a coach or coordinator in the NFL. His defense has been impressive this year, ranking at the top of most defensive categories in the league. Saleh is already connected with the Jaguars organization, having been a linebacker coach for the team from 2014-2016.

[December 28] There are reports now surfacing that Jaguars owner Shahid Khan is refuting that Marrone will be let go at the end of their Week 17 game. He claims that the reports are “false” and that he plans to meet with his coaching staff next week. No decision has been made as of yet, but Saleh should still be considered on the team’s radar if they were to move on from Marrone.

[December 28] Numerous reports state that head coach Doug Marrone will be fired after Week 17. Word is that the Jaguars consulted with Urban Meyer in the past few weeks. What led to this? See the update and story below.

[December 26] Allbright and Pauline reported several weeks ago that there was internal fighting between former EVP of Football Operations Tom Coughlin and head coach Doug Marrone. There have been many disagreements, with one of the biggest ones around Nick Foles vs. Gardner Minshew. Coughlin was fired, which may help Marrone save his job. No decision has been made as of December 26.

[December 26] Will this be the year that head coach Andy Reid gets the Chiefs to the Super Bowl? One of the biggest knocks on Reid in Philadelphia was that he couldn’t win a game when it mattered most. In 2018, the Chiefs were mere inches away from advancing. This year, they’ll have to fend off the likes of the Ravens and Patriots to get to the Super Bowl. If he can’t, Reid will be back in 2020, but don’t expect the chatter of him not being able to win the big game to get any softer.

[December 29] Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Anthony Lynn will be back in 2020.

[December 26] There is usually at least one surprise firing on Black Monday and the days that follow. Will there be any this year? Part of the Los Angeles Chargers fan base has been calling for head coach Anthony Lynn to be fired, but we have not heard anything that suggests he will. 

[December 26] Some say that head coach Brian Flores should be considered as a Coach of the Year candidate because of how much he’s done with so little. Flores is building a strong foundation in Miami and they’ll look to get their franchise quarterback in the 2020 NFL Draft.

[December 26] The Minnesota Vikings will be heading to the playoffs, which means head coach Mike Zimmer will return in 2020. There is one elephant in the room though and that is quarterback Kirk Cousins. While he has played well at times, there are other instances where he hasn’t been the type of franchise quarterback some though they were signing. Will the Vikings look towards the future in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft and select one in the early rounds? Time will tell.

[December 26] Bill Belichick, one of the greatest NFL head coaches in history, will decide when he steps away from the sideline. He’ll be back in 2020.

[December 26] Head Coach Sean Payton is one of the safest coaches in the NFL. He is looking to get quarterback Drew Brees one more Super Bowl ring. The big question is around when Brees will decide to hang up the cleats. Based on his performance this season, it doesn’t look like he’s ready to do that anytime soon. 

[December 29] Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Adam Gase will return in 2020.

[December 26] There have been plenty of questions regarding head coach Adam Gase and his future in New York. However, owner Chris Johnson has stated publicly that Gase will return for the 2020 season. Additionally, he has GM Joe Douglas in his corner.

[December 26] Head Coach Jon Gruden will be entering the third year of his ten year contract in 2020. He’ll also be overseeing the move to Las Vegas. GM Mike Mayock and Gruden did a nice job of infusing some young talent on this team, and they’ll be back in 2020. 

[December 26] The Steelers likely won’t make the playoffs in 2019, but head coach Mike Tomlin deserves to be considered for the 2019 Coach of the Year award. His defense carried the team while his second and third string quarterbacks alternated in and out throughout the season. 

[December 26] The San Francisco 49ers are a team that is going to be tough to stop in the playoffs. With an offensive attack that keeps opposing defenses off balance and a defensive scheme that stops even the best of players, head coach Kyle Shanahan will look to bring the 49ers back to the Super Bowl. 

[December 26] Head Coach Pete Carroll continues to impress as head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. Although there have been some complaints regarding his run-heavy offensive approach, there is no denying that Carroll gets the best out of his players. He’s a guy that oversaw a rebuild on the fly and has had his team in position to compete for a deep playoff run for the past several years.

[December 26] Head Coach Bruce Arians will be back for a second year as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His biggest decision this offseason will be deciding what to do with quarterback Jameis Winston.

[December 26] The Tennessee Titans are fighting for a Wild Card playoff spot in Week 17. The Titans are competitive and there is no reason for head coach Mike Vrabel to be fired.