The 2023 NFL regular season is coming to an end, with just one week left. The ending of the season means the NFL playoffs are here. However, not every team is in the playoffs.
With a lot of the teams not in the playoffs, the end of the season also signals Black Monday. What is Black Monday?
What Is Black Monday in 2024?
In the NFL, Black Monday refers to the first Monday after the end of the regular season. It’s given a dark name due to the fact it is likely the day many coaches and front office members are fired. In 2024, Black Monday will come on Jan. 8. 18 NFL teams will begin the offseason, while many will begin new regimes.
This year’s Black Monday will include multiple names to watch. Some of those names include Robert Saleh, Mike Vrabel, Matt Eberflus, Arthur Smith, Bill Belichick, Ron Rivera, and many others. There could also be general mangers fired, especially those of franchises who have struggled for multiple seasons.
The idea of Black Monday in the NFL originated in 1998 when the Associated Press, New York Post, and Houston Chronicle all used “Black Monday” in headlines on the same day. A Chicago Tribune story used the term a bit earlier in reference to college coaches.
In 2023, just one coach was fired on Black Monday. Kliff Kingsbury was let go, while general manager Steve Keim stepped down to focus on his health. Despite just one coach being let go on Black Monday, four other coaches were fired in 2023. Matt Rhule, Frank Reich, Nathaniel Hackett, and Lovie Smith were all relieved of their positions.
2022, however, saw three coaches fired on Black Monday. Mike Zimmer and Matt Nagy weren’t big surprises, but the Miami Dolphins firing Brian Flores was. Urban Meyer, Jon Gruden, Joe Judge, David Culley, and Vic Fangio were all let go as well, just not on Black Monday.
Finally, there were just two coaches fired on Black Monday in 2021. The Los Angeles Chargers fired Anthony Lynn, and the Jacksonville Jaguars fired Doug Marrone. Adam Gase, Matt Patricia, Dan Quinn, Bill O’Brien, and Doug Pederson were also all fired in 2021.
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All in all, six coaches have been fired on Black Monday over the last three years out of the 20 coaches that were let go.
With Black Monday coming up, three coaches have already been fired. Brandon Staley, Frank Reich, and Josh McDaniels all did not make it through the year. All three teams were eliminated from the playoffs, with the Raiders falling out of contention in Week 17.
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