NFL Black Monday Live Tracker: Marvin Lewis, Adam Gase, Vance Joseph All Fired
CINCINNATI BENGALS
STATUS: The Bengals have fired Marvin Lewis.
LATEST INFORMATION
Bengals requested to interview Rams QBs coach Zac Taylor, likely on Friday, and passing-game coordinator Shane Waldron. — Albert Breer
Now former Bengals coach Marvin Lewis: “It’s been a lot. This season’s been a lot. From (the season opener in) Indianapolis, the ride home on the bus, all the way through, it’s been a lot.” — Albert Breer
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis told his staff that he's been fired, and that it was owner Mike Brown’s call. Assistants waiting to hear on their status. — Albert Breer
The coaches went to bed on Sunday night with no assurances about their futures, but when Marvin Lewis agreed to come back this year, the belief was he and owner Mike Brown resolved to go two more years. — Albert Breer
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Ken Whisenhunt, Chargers offensive coordinator: This move would not excite the fan base, but since when has owner Mike Brown cared about that? Brown is a highly knowledgeable Football Guy who likely will value a low-risk head coach who has some sort of track record. Having spent 16 years with the defensive-minded Marvin Lewis, the radical changeup will be finding an “unradical” offensive head coach. — Andy Benoit
MIAMI DOLPHINS
STATUS: The Dolphins have reportedly fired Adam Gase.
LATEST INFORMATION
Dolphins special teams coach/assistant head coach Darren Rizzi will interview for the team’s head coaching job. — Albert Breer
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross on GM Chris Grier’s role: “Chris will have total responsibility in leading the organization.”
In an organization packed with competing fiefdoms, Dolphins GM Chris Grier was one who remained above the fray, and could work with anyone. So this feels very much like a strike by Stephen Ross to try and align his team better. — Albert Breer
The Dolphins announce they're elevating GM Chris Grier to oversee all football operations, reassigning EVP Mike Tannenbaum and firing coach Adam Gase. — Albert Breer
The dismissal of EVP Mike Tannenbaum has been rumored for days. And owner Steve Ross’s dissatisfaction with the climate in the building certainly puts larger-scale changes on the table, and makes the idea that he’ll go forward with Gase and GM Chris Grier running the show seem a little less likely. If he hires a football czar to replace Tannenbaum, which could trigger changes elsewhere, New England exec Nick Caserio and Minnesota exec George Paton are two names that have been bandied about. — Albert Breer
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Matt Eberflus, Colts defensive coordinator: There are sexier names out there, but no coordinator this year, offense or defense, did more with less than Eberflus in Indianapolis. His young unit improved steadily and rapidly. If the Dolphins wanted a cutting-edge offensive coach, they’d have kept Adam Gase. They need someone to stabilize a defense that for years has been wildly up and down. — Andy Benoit
DENVER BRONCOS
STATUS: The Broncos have fired Vance Joseph.
LATEST INFORMATION
Broncos will interview Rams QBs coach Zac Taylor for the open head coaching position on Saturday. — Albert Breer
Broncos president Joe Ellis: “John [Elway] will lead our coaching search, and John will make the hire.”
Those in Denver said there was a finality in the way Joseph addressed his players post-game on Sunday—he told them he believed many of them would be part of the solution when the team did turn it around. It’d be pretty tough for the team to push Joseph to the ledge in consecutive years, then pull him back, and Elway’s been frustrated with his offensive staffing. This is another team with affection for John Harbaugh, potentially to pair with Gary Kubiak, were he to become available. — Albert Breer
CANDIDATE TO WATCH
Mike Shanahan, currently retired: This is assuming the Broncos can’t land John Harbaugh, whom team czar John Elway is reportedly pursuing. Elway’s best years in Denver’s front office were with Gary Kubiak, with whom Elway was very familiar. Never accused of being overly patient, Elway will want a head coach he believes can help Denver, which still has a daunting defense, win now. The alternative is to pick from this year’s crop of youngish defensive coaches—Dennis Allen, Kris Richard, Matt Eberflus, Brian Flores, etc. But Elway just had a youngish defensive coach in Vance Joseph. — Andy Benoit
ARIZONA CARDINALS
STATUS: The Cardinals have fired Steve Wilks, offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and defensive coordinator Al Holcomb.
LATEST INFORMATION
Source: Cardinals have put in a request to interview Rams QBs coach Zac Taylor for their head coaching vacancy. Taylor will interview on Saturday — Albert Breer
The problem with Steve Wilks isn’t just how ugly things looked on the field, at 3–13. It’s the issues he had assembling a staff. And that’s why it’s a very good bet he’s gone—because the brass doesn’t trust that he’ll be able to fix those problems on the fly, and the development of their 2018 first-round quarterback is at stake. It’s easy to see why, then, that word is their first looks will likely be to experienced hands like Jim Caldwell and McCarthy. — Albert Breer
CANDIDATE TO WATCH
Zac Taylor, Rams quarterbacks coach: Cardinals GM Steve Keim wanted Sean McVay to be Bruce Arians’s replacement, but the Rams beat Keim to the punch, hiring McVay a year before Arians and the Cards parted. Keim has since swung and missed on a defensive head coach (Steve Wilks) and drafted a first-round QB (Josh Rosen). We can only assume he’s looking for the next Sean McVay. If it’s not Taylor, it could be Titans offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur. — Andy Benoit
NEW YORK JETS
STATUS: The Jets have fired head coach Todd Bowles.
LATEST INFORMATION
Jets have reached out to talk to Bucs OC Todd Monken. Bc his contract is up, there's no need to put in a formal request to interview him. Monken promises to generate interest at the HC and OC level in a bunch of places. — Albert Breer
GM Mike Maccagnan will stay with the team, and he will “work closely with” owner Woody Johnson on the search for the Jets’ next head coach.
Word is the Jets are looking at guys with head coaching experience, with ex-Packers coach Mike McCarthy one that they’ve done a lot of background work on. And they were going to be hot after Ravens coach John Harbaugh, had he become available. Campbell bears watching here, too. — Albert Breer
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Mike McCarthy, former Packers head coach: The Jets are interviewing Cowboys defensive coordinator Kris Richard, but it’s hard to envision them hiring a defensive guy given that was the specialty of previous two head coaches Todd Bowles and Rex Ryan. “Big game hunting” is the phrase that’s been applied to the Jets’ head coaching search. McCarthy, with 18 playoff wins and a Super Bowl ring, constitutes “big game,” giving Sam Darnold a proven offensive-minded coach. — Andy Benoit
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
STATUS: The Bucs have fired head coach Dirk Koetter.
LATEST INFORMATION
In a statement, Tampa Bay co-owner/co-chairman Joel Glazer says that GM Jason Licht will conduct the Bucs’ search for a new head coach, which means Licht—whose job status was up in the air as well—will remain the GM for the time being.
The buzz is that the Bucs are looking for a name, and could be preparing to make a run at prying Harbaugh out of Baltimore. McCarthy would fit the profile, too, of an experienced and accomplished coach who’ll create some buzz. — Albert Breer
CANDIDATE TO WATCH
Kris Richard, Cowboys defensive backs coach/assistant coordinator: Richard has a fiery demeanor and puts an emphasis on players’ mechanics and techniques. That’s what this Bucs defense has lacked for too long. If the Bucs want to find a new offensive-minded coach to see if they can salvage Jameis Winston, the best guy would be Bruce Arians’s, whose aggressive, intellectual, deep-intermediate passing scheme best fits Winston’s style. But picking from this year’s deep crop of young, defensive-minded coaches seems wiser. — Andy Benoit
GREEN BAY PACKERS
STATUS: The Packers fired Mike McCarthy after Week 13.
LATEST INFORMATION
We’ve mentioned Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald and Patriots OC Josh McDaniels here over the last few week—one key is being able to coach Aaron Rodgers, and both Fitzgerald and McDaniels, for different reasons, appear to have the chops to do it. This one is president Mark Murphy’s show, though GM Brian Gutekunst will have plenty of input, as will a handful of other VP types. — Albert Breer
CANDIDATE TO WATCH
Josh McDaniels, Patriots OC: It takes a very specific personality to coach Aaron Rodgers. McDaniels, who is still young but not younger than Rodgers, has a winning track record in New England and experience coaching a superstar QB. Even better is that his scheme can help instill the quicker, more disciplined timing that Rodgers is great at employing but too often doesn’t. — Andy Benoit
CLEVELAND BROWNS
STATUS: The Browns fired Hue Jackson after Week 8.
LATEST INFORMATION
Browns announced that they interviewed interim head coach Gregg Williams for the full-time job.
Per sources, the Browns have put in requests for both Colts coordinators—OC Nick Sirianni and DC Matt Eberflus—as well as Saints assistant head coach Dan Campbell. — Albert Breer
Browns GM John Dorsey tells reporters that Williams will interview for the full-time job, and that OC Freddie Kitchens is also a candidate. — Albert Breer
CANDIDATE TO WATCH
Freddie Kitchens, Browns OC: This seems wild—probably even too wild for Browns old school GM John Dorsey. Just over two months ago, Kitchens was a mere running backs coach. Anointing him to the head position after only eight games calling plays feel impetuous. But they were a great eight games, leaving no doubt about the integrity of the Kitchens-Baker Mayfield marriage. Two teams in recent years have promoted their offensive coordinator to head coach simply to keep a QB-play-caller relationship intact. Unfortunately for Kitchens, neither worked out: the Bucs on the Dirk Koetter-Jameis Winston pairing, and the Giants on the Ben McAdoo-Eli Manning pairing. Still, it’s imperative the Browns keep Kitchens. Making him the head coach is the surest way to do that. — Andy Benoit
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JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
STATUS: Owner Shad Khan announced that executive vice president Tom Coughlin, GM Dave Caldwell and head coach Doug Marrone will all return in their current positions for the 2019 season.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
STATUS: The Panthers have informed head coach Ron Rivera that he will return in his current position for the 2019 season. — Albert Breer
