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We’re six weeks away from the end of the 2024 regular season, and three teams have already fired their head coaches.
The Jets made the first change by parting ways with Robert Saleh in early October. The Saints waited until after Week 9, following their seventh straight loss, to fire Dennis Allen. Most recently, the Bears moved on from Matt Eberflus after losing to the Lions on Thanksgiving. That means three jobs are open, with Thomas Brown (Bears), Darren Rizzi (Saints) and Jeff Ulbrich (Jets) serving as the interim coaches.
Here’s everything you need to know about the latest NFL head coach movement, including the pros and cons of the open jobs.
Jump to an opening:
Bears | Saints | Jets
Head-coach openings
Former coach: Matt Eberflus (fired Nov. 29)
Record with Bears: 14-32 over three seasons
What happened: The Bears fired coach Matt Eberflus one day after a 23-20 loss to the Lions that ended with the Bears falling victim to clock mismanagement. Eberflus held a news conference via Zoom, saying he was confident he would be coaching the Bears the following week, but hours later, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Eberflus was fired and that interim offensive coordinator Thomas Brown would take over on an interim basis. Eberflus’ tenure ended amid a six-game losing streak that featured an array of last second-losses. — Courtney Cronin
Former coach: Dennis Allen (fired Nov. 4)
Record with Saints: 18-25 over three seasons
What happened: The Saints fired Allen after losing their seventh straight game. Special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi was named the interim coach, and he addressed the media by noting it was “a tough day,” citing Allen as a close friend.
This is the first midseason firing for the Saints since the late Tom Benson purchased the team in 1985. The last in-season firing occurred when Dick Nolan was ousted after an 0-12 start to his third season in 1980. The team also made an in-season coaching change in 1996 when Jim Mora resigned after a 2-6 start, and New Orleans then went 1-7 under Rick Venturi.
Pros of the New Orleans job: New Orleans has a stable front office with one of the longest tenured general managers in the league in Mickey Loomis. The Saints have also shown a tendency to value continuity — Sean Payton stayed in New Orleans for 15 years, and the Saints only moved on from Allen (who had a long relationship with the team) after an unprecedented amount of losses. That means they’ll likely be patient with their next coach, as well.
Cons of the New Orleans job: The Saints have salary cap issues complicated by their strategy of pushing back cap hits in order to “win now.” That means there won’t be a lot of money to work with in free agency in 2025, and the next coach might not be able to make a lot of changes to the roster right away. That could complicate things if Derek Carr isn’t their preferred quarterback. — Katherine Terrell
Former coach: Robert Saleh (fired Oct. 8)
Record with Jets: 20-36 over four seasons
What happened: Upset by the team’s 2-3 start, Jets owner Woody Johnson made a stunning and unprecedented move in firing Saleh and naming defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich as the interim head coach.
Johnson, with his first in-season coaching change in 25 years of ownership, said he consulted with general manager Joe Douglas but called it “my decision and mine alone.” Woody Johnson and his brother, Christopher Johnson, the vice chairman, broke the news to Saleh in his office at the team facility.
Saleh, who promised multiple championships when he was hired in 2021, finished with a 20-36 record and zero playoff appearances. The Jets have a 13-year playoff drought, the longest active drought in the NFL, but they began the season with Super Bowl expectations, in large part because of quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Pros of the New York job: The roster includes some promising young players, most notably wide receiver Garrett Wilson, cornerback Sauce Gardner and running back Breece Hall. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is also still regarded as one of the better interior linemen. After cuts, they should have about $80 million in cap room. They also have eight draft picks, including two likely top-40 picks.
Cons of the New York job: There’d be no QB1 on the roster if Rodgers is gone. They have Tyrod Taylor, but he’s a bridge quarterback at best. Woody Johnson is known for meddling in personnel matters, which caused issues with the previous regime. There’s also the losing culture; it’s real and has swallowed up every coach since Bill Parcells (1997-1999). — Rich Cimini
