Three teams fired their head coaches before the 2023 NFL regular season came to a close, and five have followed suit in the days since.

The Raiders started the coaching carousel on Nov. 1, parting ways with coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler. On Nov. 27, the Panthers fired Frank Reich, who has now been fired in back-to-back seasons. Then, on Dec. 15, the Chargers dismissed coach Brandon Staley and GM Tom Telesco, while the Falcons dismissed Arthur Smith after their season finale. The Commanders then fired coach Ron Rivera on Monday morning, and on Tuesday, the Titans fired Mike Vrabel.

News broke after the season that the Seahawks had relieved Pete Carroll of head-coaching duties but are keeping him in the organization as an adviser. Later in the week, after the season ended, the Patriots and coach Bill Belichick agreed to part ways, ending their 24-year run that included six Super Bowl championships. New England shortly afterward promoted Jerod Mayo to be its coach.

Here’s everything you need to know about the latest NFL head-coach movement, with news and intel on open jobs, pros and cons for each opening, and candidates who could be in the mix for interviews. Plus, we have updates on offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator openings.

 

What happened: The Seahawks announced that Carroll will no longer be the team’s head coach after a 9-8 season in which Seattle missed out on the playoffs for the second time in three years, a span in which they went 25-26. Carroll, the most successful coach in franchise history, is ostensibly transitioning into an advisory role with the Seahawks, but he made it clear during his farewell news conference that he wanted to remain Seattle’s coach and that, at 72, he still has the juice for the job. Which suggests he’d entertain another head-coaching job should the right opportunity arise.

  • Henderson: Why the Seahawks are making a coaching change

Pros of the job: The Seahawks have arguably the best roster of any of the eight teams with vacancies at head coach, with on-the-rise young players such as Devon Witherspoon, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Boye Mafe, and Kenneth Walker III. Receiver DK Metcalf, who just finished his fifth season, is still only 26. They’ve also got a world-class practice facility and perhaps the loudest stadium in the NFL.

Cons of the job: Seattle is no longer flush with draft capital and cap space like it was after the Russell Wilson trade. It has the 16th overall selection but no second-rounder after giving it up for Leonard Williams, who will be a free agent in March. The Seahawks are projected to be a few million over the 2024 salary cap, and while they’ll free up money with cuts and restructures, they probably won’t have enough to be big players in free agency. There’s also a long-term ownership question. Jody Allen is eventually going to sell the team in accordance with her late brother Paul’s wishes, although it’s not expected to happen until 2025 at the earliest.

Latest intel: ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is expected to be among Seattle’s candidates. Quinn has long seemed like a logical fit as Carroll’s successor, given his ties to the organization, having served as Seahawks DC during the two seasons in which they won their lone Super Bowl and nearly repeated the next year. Quinn has an existing relationship with general manager John Schneider, who’s leading the search.

Former coach: Mike Vrabel (fired Jan. 9)
Record with Titans: 54-45 over six seasons

What happened: The Titans have fired Vrabel, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Vrabel led Tennessee to four consecutive winning seasons after arriving in 2018, but the Titans have experienced back-to-back frustrating seasons, finishing multiple games under .500 both times. The Titans finished 6-11 this season.

  • What does Vrabel’s firing mean for the Titans, Patriots?

Record with Commanders: 26-40-1 over four seasonsWhat happened: New Commanders owner Josh Harris made his first major staffing move since buying the franchise last summer, firing Rivera after four seasons with the team. The Commanders finished the 2023 season 4-13 after a loss to the Dallas Cowboys in the season finale Sunday.