The Las Vegas Raiders have terminated Pete Carroll’s coaching tenure after just one season. Despite high expectations, Carroll’s leadership resulted in a disappointing 3-14 record, including a 10-game losing streak. The team managed to salvage their season with a victory over Kansas City. Owner Mark Davis and minority owner Tom Brady, in collaboration with general manager John Spytek, are now tasked with the responsibility of finding a suitable replacement. The Raiders may seek an offensive-minded coach to mentor their young quarterback. At 74 years old, Carroll was the oldest head coach in the NFL and had previously guided the Seahawks to a Super Bowl triumph.
In Arizona, the Cardinals parted ways with coach Jonathan Gannon following a tumultuous third season marred by injuries, blunders, and a series of lopsided losses. The team’s downward spiral culminated in a 37-20 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, marking their ninth consecutive loss and the 14th defeat in 15 games.
Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns have dismissed coach Kevin Stefanski after six seasons at the helm. Stefanski becomes the fourth NFL coach to be let go this season, joining the likes of Brian Callahan (Tennessee), Brian Daboll (New York Giants), and Raheem Morris (Atlanta). The Browns closed out their season with back-to-back wins, finishing with a 5-12 record, highlighted by a 20-18 triumph over the Cincinnati Bengals. Stefanski, a two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year, guided Cleveland to playoff appearances in 2020 and 2023. Since the franchise was acquired by owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam in 2012, the Browns have struggled with a subpar 73-139-1 regular-season record.
In Atlanta, Falcons owner Arthur Blank announced sweeping changes in a letter to fans, revealing the dismissals of coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot as the initial steps to break an eight-year streak of losing seasons. Blank also disclosed plans for upper management restructuring, including the recruitment of a new football president from outside the organization. This new hire will report directly to Blank, supplanting Greg Beadles as the head of football operations. Beadles has been appointed president and CEO of the Falcons, overseeing business affairs. In his expanded role, Beadles takes over from Rich McKay, who will retain his position as CEO of AMB Sports and Entertainment, focusing on the upcoming World Cup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and preparations for Atlanta’s 2028 Super Bowl. The termination of Morris and Fontenot came on the heels of a 19-17 victory over the New Orleans Saints, concluding the Falcons’ second consecutive 8-9 season under Morris, yet the team has not achieved a winning season or playoff berth since 2017.