I’ll list the grades for the hiring and firing of each NFL coach and general manager, as well as most coordinators.
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Feb. 11 Updates
Saints hire HC Kellen Moore: A Grade
I know there are just 32 head-coaching jobs in the NFL, but I’m a bit surprised that Kellen Moore took this job. Moore certainly has his work cut out for him. The Saints have the worst cap situation in the NFL, as they’re currently $54 million over the cap. They have a mediocre quarterback, issues on the offensive line, and one of the older defenses in the NFL. Best of luck, Kellen.
I like this hire for the Saints even though it’s going to be very difficult for them to emerge as a Super Bowl contender over the next few years. Moore did a phenomenal job as Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator last year. We’ll see how he fares in a head-coaching role, but he should at least maximize the potential of New Orleans’ offense.
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Feb. 6 Updates
Jaguars hire OC Grant Udinski: A- Grade
This coordinator hiring doesn’t matter as much as many others because Liam Coen was brought in to run the offense. Things are looking brighter in Jacksonville with Coen displacing Doug Pederson.
Still, this seems like a good hire. Grant Udinski will be an offensive coordinator for the first time, but this is a great opportunity for him to learn from an offensive guru like Coen. Udinski has been around smart offensive personnel before, coming from Minnesota where he was the assistant offensive coordinator and assistant quarterbacks coach. He did good work with the Vikings’ scoring unit and Sam Darnold, so he deserved a promotion.
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Feb. 4 Updates
Jets hire DC Steve Wilks: C+ Grade
Here’s another hiring I missed. Thank you to Cassandra for pointing out this missing hire.
I’m not sure how meaningful this hire is compared to most other coordinators. Aaron Glenn is the head coach, and he’ll be running the defense. Steve Wilks will be his right-hand man, but this will be Glenn’s defense.
Still, it’s important to note that Wilks has not done well in his previous couple of stints as defensive coordinator. He was fired by the 49ers after 2023 for having a defense that was way too inconsistent. Before that, his 2019 Browns defense was 26th in yardage allowed. Wilks has had some good moments in his career, but this doesn’t seem like a very good hire.
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Falcons hire DC Jeff Ulbrich: B- Grade
A reader pointed out that I forgot to post a grade for the Falcons hiring Jeff Ulbrich as their new defensive coordinator. If I missed anyone else, please let me know!
Ulbrich can kiss any head-coaching aspirations goodbye with how poorly he operated the interim coaching gig with the Jets. Ulbrich wasn’t able to focus on his defensive duties, causing his stop unit to fall apart. He also handled his head-coaching duties very poorly.
However, that doesn’t mean I believe this is a poor hire. On the contrary, Ulbrich did a decent job coaching the Jets’ defense when he was tasked to do so. He was a lousy interim head coach, but his defenses always performed at a high level when he was able to focus solely on that side of the ball. Then again, this could be attributed to Robert Saleh’s presence, and New York’s defense did collapse in the wake of Saleh’s firing.
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Feb. 3 Updates
Texans hire OC Nick Caley: B Grade
It was a bit surprising that Bobby Slowik was fired earlier this offseason. He did a poor job last year, but he was only one season removed from being labeled the next hot head-coaching candidate. Slowik’s replacement will be Nick Caley, who served as tight ends coach for the Patriots and Rams since 2017 and 2023, respectively. He was also the passing game coordinator in Los Angeles last year.
Caley did a good job with the Rams tight ends, especially last year when Colby Parkinson thrived in relief of the injured Tyler Higbee. However, it’s fair to wonder how much of an impact he had with the passing game, given that Sean McVay had that area of the team performing brilliantly before Caley was even on his coaching staff. The Texans may have been able to make a better hire, but it’s unclear how Caley will fare in Houston, given this will be the first time he’ll be calling the plays.
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Raiders hire OC Chip Kelly: B Grade
Chip Kelly was heralded as a potential great replacement for Andy Reid as the Eagles’ head coach. Instead, Kelly was a huge disappointment and was dismissed after three seasons. He then had failed stints with the 49ers and UCLA. He had to settle for the offensive coordinator gig at Ohio State.
Kelly did a great job with the Buckeyes, albeit for one season. Still, it’s apparent that Kelly is better suited to be an offensive coordinator than a head coach, if only by default. This is an interesting hire by the Raiders. It could pan out, but there’s also a chance that Kelly fails once again in the NFL. Still, there’s much more optimism for Kelly as a coordinator than a head coach.
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Feb. 1 Updates
Cowboys hire OC Klayton Adams: B Grade
This offensive coordinator hire isn’t as meaningful as many other acquisitions because Klayton Adams won’t be calling the plays in Dallas. Those duties will fall on new head coach Brian Schottenheimer. Once Schottenheimer inevitably screws up, the sword will likely fall on Adams.
However, this isn’t a bad hire. Adams has never been an offensive coordinator before, but he was brought in because of the excellent job he did with Arizona’s offensive line. The Cowboys had major blocking issues, so they’ll be counting on Adams to repair their blocking.
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Jets hire OC Tanner Engstrand: C+ Grade
This is very much like the Anthony Campanile hiring that was graded right beneath this one. Like Campanile, Tanner Engstrand is set to become a first-time offensive coordinator despite spending just four years in the NFL.
I’m not crazy about this hire, but there is one difference between this one and the Campanile acquisition, which would be that new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has worked with Engstrand, so there should be a smoother transition than normal. Still, you have to wonder why the Lions didn’t bother promoting Engstrand to offensive coordinator and instead outsourcing to someone from the Broncos.
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Jan. 31 Updates
Jaguars hire DC Anthony Campanile: C Grade
Jacksonville’s defense has been a mess for quite some time. The team is lacking talent at several positions and needed a capable veteran defensive coordinator to get most out of the young players on the unit. Instead, the Jaguars hired a first-time defensive coordinator.
Even worse, Anthony Campanile has just four years of pro experience, as he spent the majority of his coaching career in the college ranks. He was a linebackers coach for the Dolphins and Packers in those four seasons. His linebackers played well under his watch, so he deserved a shot to be a defensive coordinator eventually. This seems like it’s too soon, but I’m not completely against this hire because it could work. It just seems awfully risky with the Jaguars likely to be in playoff contention next year.
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Jan. 30 Updates
Seahawks hire OC Klint Kubiak: A Grade
The Seahawks hired Klint Kubiak to be their offensive coordinator a few days ago. This occurred on Sunday when the two championship games were taking place. You’d think the NFL would be smarter about breaking stories and releasing information to maximize views on NFL Network and NFL.com.
At any rate, I’m a big fan of this hire. Klint Kubiak did a great job as the Saints’ offensive coordinator last year until the team fell apart as a result of injuries. The Saints had major problems with their roster heading into 2024, yet they were an offensive juggernaut to begin the year, demolishing the Panthers and Cowboys. Furthermore, Kubiak has done a great job getting the most out of Kirk Cousins and Brock Purdy in the past, so Geno Smith stands to benefit. This hire should be graded very highly. I love this hire.
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Jan. 29 Updates
Cowboys hire DC Matt Eberflus: B+ Grade
The Cowboys announced that they are welcoming back Matt Eberflus. The former Bears head coach was a linebackers coach for Dallas from 2011 to 2015. Ten years later, he’s now the Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator.
Eberflus was an utter failure in Chicago, ultimately embarrassing himself during some late-game incompetence on Thanksgiving. However, Eberflus was an effective defensive coordinator with the Colts beforehand. Aside for one season, the Colts ranked 16th or better in yardage allowed under Eberflus, and they were eighth in that department one year. It’s not amazing, but it’s not like Eberflus had the most talent at his disposal.
This seems like a solid hire. Eberflus isn’t quite Dan Quinn, but he should have Dallas’ defense playing at a high level.
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Jan. 28 Updates
Lions hire OC John Morton: B Grade
Johnnie Morton is a former Lions receiver who had four 1,000-yard seasons for the team. His tenure in Detroit did not end well, as former general manager Matt Millen called him a “fa**ot” in his final year. Now, it appears as though Morton will have the last laugh.
Morton will have the last laugh because some other person with his same name will be offensive coordinator of the Lions. John Morton held the same job for one year with the Jets. He did not succeed in that post, with his offense ranking 28th in yardage. However, that team sorely lacked talent, as Josh McCown was the quarterback. More recently, Morton was the passing-game coordinator for the Broncos in 2023 and 2024. He didn’t do a good job with Russell Wilson in 2023, but the opposite is true with how Bo Nix performed last year.
More importantly, Morton has some experience in Detroit, as he was a senior offensive assistant in 2022. It’s nice that he’s very familiar with most of the personnel already, so he should have a smooth transition into his new job. There may have better options available, but Morton seems like a decent hire.
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Jan. 27 Updates
Lions promote DC Kelvin Sheppard: B Grade
The Lions lost Aaron Glenn to the Jets, so they needed to acquire a new defensive coordinator. Rather than hire someone from the outside, they opted to promote Kelvin Sheppard instead.
Sheppard was Detroit’s linebackers coach for four years. He did a great job with that group, so he deserves a chance to call the defensive plays. It’s nice that the Lions can continue to run the same system, but there’s no way of knowing how Sheppard will perform because he’s never been a coordinator. Also, there were some quality options available, so Detroit may end up regretting this decision.
I don’t hate what the Lions did. It could work, and if it does, a big part of it will be the smooth transition to someone with whom the players are familiar. However, there’s a good chance the Lions could have gotten someone better.
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Bears hire OC Declan Doyle and DC Dennis Allen: C/A Grade
I’m grading these two hires together because I don’t find the Declan Doyle move to be very significant. It’s odd that a former Broncos tight end coach was given a higher role, given that Denver’s tight ends have not done anything in years, but Ben Johnson will be calling the plays anyway.
The Dennis Allen hire is much more interesting. Allen has proven to be an atrocious head coach on two occasions, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t coach the defensive side of the ball. Allen was the defensive coordinator of the Saints from 2015 to 2021. In that span, his defenses ranked in the top 14 in yardage four times, and in the top seven twice. There are a number of failed head coaches who have been far better coordinators, and Allen appears to be one of them. I like this hire; Allen should be able to repair a Chicago defense that ranked 31st in adjusted EPA last year.
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Jan. 26 Updates
Jets hire GM Darren Mougey: B+ Grade
The Jets are a mess right now. They don’t have the best cap situation, they have no viable young quarterback, and they need to figure out what to do with Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams. They needed someone sharp to help them clean up this predicament, so new general manager Darren Mougey certainly has his work cut out for him.
Mougey began as an intern with the Broncos in 2012. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the director of player personnel in 2021 and then assistant general manager the year after that. During the four years in which he served these roles, Mougey helped assemble a quality roster, thanks to a number of great picks on the second and third days of the draft. This includes Jonathon Cooper and DeVaughn Vele in the seventh round, and Quinn Meinerz, Riley Moss, and Baron Browning in the third.
I believe that there were some other general manager candidates who were a better option, but Mougey seems like a quality hire, so I will be giving the Jets a B+ for this move.
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Jan. 25 Updates
Cowboys hire OC Brian Schottenheimer: MILLEN Grade
Al Davis, in his prime, was a great owner. However, things fell apart for him and his team toward the end. Goofy antics regularly took place, from drafting players solely because of 40 times, to press conferences where Davis muttered, “JaMarcus … Russell … is a … great … playa.” This now resembles the Cowboys organization, as Jerry Jones’ final years have been a complete clown show.
When I first heard that Brian Schottenheimer was getting consideration for a job with the Cowboys, I figured this was for an assistant hot dog vendor role. I would have graded that as a C- for the Cowboys because Schottenheimer is not equipped to run a hot dog stand in the event of an emergency to the lead hot dog vendor. But then, I heard that Schottenheimer was being considered as head coach of the Cowboys, and I laughed so hard that I nearly had a hernia.
It’s insane that Schottenheimer is now a head coach in the NFL. He was fired as an offensive coordinator three times. As an offensive play-caller in the NFL, his offenses have ranked the following in yardage: 25th, 26th, 16th, 20th, 11th, 25th, 23rd, 30th, 28th, 18th, 8th, 17th. Only twice has a team of his finished above 16th in yardage, and the top exception was with Russell Wilson. The only reason Schottenheimer continued to receive coordinator opportunities was because of his last name. If Marty Schottenheimer hadn’t been such a successful coach in the NFL, his son would be an assistant hot dog vendor right now – and a rather bad one at that.
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49ers hire DC Robert Saleh: A+ Grade
It was puzzling that Robert Saleh received some head-coaching consideration this offseason, given that he failed miserably with the Jets. Saleh was a hot head-coaching candidate a few years ago, but he fizzled with his opportunity in New York.
This is a much better fit. Saleh was able to earn the Jets’ coaching job because of how great of a defensive coordinator he was with San Francisco. The 2019 49ers were third in yardage, and the players gave 100 percnet for Saleh. Then, with the Jets, we saw their defense completely fall apart once Saleh was dismissed last year.
This is a great hire because not only is Saleh a great defensive-minded coach; he’s also familiar with some of the personnel and the rest of the coaching staff, so this is a natural transition.
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Jan. 24 Updates
Texans fire OC Bobby Slowik: A Grade
What a difference a year makes. Heading into the 2024 offseason, Bobby Slowik was a hot head-coaching candidate after he did great work with then-rookie C.J. Stroud. Slowik, like Ben Johnson, decided to remain at his post to obtain a lucrative head-coaching position.
Unlike Johnson, however, Slowik ruined his coaching stock so much so that he was fired. Slowik did a poor job with the Texans last year. His predictable play-calling constantly had Stroud in third-and-long situations. Slowik called runs on first and second down at the highest clip in the NFL, and he didn’t stray from his strategy if Joe Mixon was sidelined, or if the team was trailing in the fourth quarter.
I didn’t think the Texans would fire Slowik this offseason after his great 2023 campaign, but this is definitely the correct decision.
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Raiders hire HC Pete Carroll: B Grade
Raider fans can’t be too thrilled about this hire. They had visions of their team obtaining either Ben Johnson or Liam Coen, or perhaps even Joe Brady. The Raiders missed out on all three young offensive-minded coaches and instead hired Carroll, who will be 74 at the start of the 2025 NFL season.
I actually don’t mind Carroll’s age too much in a vacuum. Not all septuagenarians are created equal, and Carroll has the sort of “dragon energy” that allows him to resemble someone in their 50s. The main selling point for me is that Carroll can build a winning culture. He turned around Seattle’s franchise from being a basement dweller to a constant winner, and he might be able to do the same thing with the Raiders. He can be a bridge of sorts to the Raiders’ next long-term coach.
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Jaguars hire HC Liam Coen: A+ Grade
It turns out that the Jaguar fan who wanted me to give his team an A++++++ grade for firing Trent Baalke was right on the money. This latest development confirms what everyone suspected – that Baalke was interferring with the hiring of promising head-coaching candidates. Forty-eight hours after the Baalke firing, the Jaguars landed their man, Liam Coen.
This is a terrific hire, especially given that there were reports that Robert Saleh and Patrick Graham were the leaders in the clubhouse for the job. Coen is one of the sharpest, young, offensive-minded head coaches in the NFL. He’s exactly what Trevor Lawrence needed to take the next step in his development. Of all the head-coaching candidates remaining, Coen gave Lawrence the best chance to turn around his career, so this was a no-brainer hire.
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Jan. 22 Updates
Bengals hire DC Al Golden: C Grade
The Bengals fired long-time defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo this offseason. You’d think they’d go in a different direction with their new defensive coordinator and not hire someone who worked under Anarumo. Curiously, they took the latter approach.
Al Golden has mostly coached in college throughout his career, most recently serving as defensive coordinator of Notre Dame. Before that, he was a linebackers coach for Cincinnati. Golden did a good job with the Fighting Irish, but this still seems like a step down from Anarumo, so I can’t say I’m in favor of this hire. The Bengals could have done worse though, so I won’t fail them for this.
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Jaguars fire GM Trent Baalke: A+ Grade
One Jaguar fan asked me to make this an A++++++ grade. If I went that high with my grades, that’s exactly what it would be, as Jacksonville has done well to finally fire Trent Baalke.
Baalke went 25-43 with the Jaguars, thanks to his habit of overpaying pedestrian players. He gave Gabe Davis $39 million over three years, for example. Baalke didn’t draft well either, and worst of all, he scared away two promising young head-coaching candidates. He had to go.
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Jets hire HC Aaron Glenn: B Grade
The Jets just hired a strong-minded defensive coach who happens to be very popular with his players. No, I’m not referring to the Robert Saleh hire from several years ago. The Jets have named Aaron Glenn to be their new head coach.
I like Glenn and believe he can succeed. However, I’m not crazy about the hire because there were better options available. Glenn was arguably the best defensive coach on the market, but there were a number of sharp, young, offensive-minded coaches available. It’s always better to hire an offensive coach because they are more likely to be snatched away if they thrive, leaving a young quarterback in a new system. The Jets don’t have a viable young quarterback right now, but they will soon, and the Jets will be stuck in this conundrum if Glenn’s offensive coordinator is successful.
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Raiders hire GM John Spytek: B+ Grade
Contrary to popular belief, Spytek is not a company that will prevent you from being defrauded. John Spytek is the new general manager of the Raiders after serving as assistant general manager and vice president of player personnel for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In the four years in which Spytek served these roles, the Buccaneers were able to land some nice hits in the middle rounds. Such players include Bucky Irving in the fourth round, Jalen McMillan in the third, Cade Otton in the fourth, and Zyon McCollum in the fifth. It’s unclear how much Spytek had a hand in these decisions, but he was certainly partly responsible, so this is a promising hire for the Raiders.
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Patriots hire DC Terrell Williams: B Grade
A day after hiring Josh McDaniels to be the team’s new offensive coordinator, New England found its new defensive coordinator. The Patriots have hired Terrell Williams, who was defensive line coach for the Lions.
Williams has never been a defensive coordinator before, but he has done a great job with the Detroit and Tennessee defensive lines over the years. Even better, he has familiarity working with Mike Vrabel, as the two were together in Tennessee for several seasons.
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Jan. 21 Updates
Patriots hire OC Josh McDaniels: A Grade
Josh McDaniels returns to New England once again. After a second failed stint as a head coach, McDaniels will be an offensive coordinator for New England for the third time.
While McDaniels was utterly awful as an NFL head coach, he has shown that he can be a tremendous offensive coordinator. His critics will point out that he had Tom Brady most years, but McDaniels was able to get Matt Cassel and Mac Jones to play their best, so there should definitely be optimism that Drake Maye can improve under him.
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Bears hire HC Ben Johnson: A+ Grade
I was worried the Bears were going to do something stupid like hire Mike McCarthy or a defensive coach. Instead, they made the right move. They hired the best head-coaching candidate on the open market, all while depleting a huge resource from one of their divisional rivals.
Caleb Williams looked very lost at times as a rookie. He obviously has great talent, but received no help from an inept coaching staff. That will no longer be the case. Johnson will be able to get the most out of Williams. This hiring gives Williams the best chance to develop to his peak potential, which is the most important factor when it came to Chicago’s head-coaching search.
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Colts hire DC Lou Anarumo: A Grade
The Colts are getting a huge upgrade at defensive coordinator. Gus Bradley was atrocious at running the team’s defense and was correctly dismissed after the team led the league in missed tackles last year. That is highly unlikely to occur under Lou Anarumo.
Anarumo did a great job as Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator, constantly getting the most out of the talent on the roster. Cincinnati’s defense struggled this past season, but the team hd no defensive talent on the roster any longer outside of a couple of players. Anarumo is going to have much more to work with in Indianapolis.
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Jan. 17 Updates
Titans hire GM Mike Borgonzi: B Grade
The Titans were obviously impressed with what the Chiefs have accomplished. They’ve decided to hire Kansas City’s assistant general manager, Mike Borgonzi, to be their new general manager.
First, the positives: Borgonzi has had a lot of experience in Kansas City’s front office. In fact, his stay in Kansas City predates Andy Reid’s arrival. Borgonzi climbed up the ladder impressively, becoming director of football operations under Brett Veach, and then assistant general manager three years later. He’s been in a winning program for more than a decade, so he seems fit for the job.
I do have some concerns, however. I’m always wary of teams attempting to snatch people attached to winning programs because it’s not like Borgonzi comes with Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. We’ve seen many examples of this fail over the years. With that in mind, I can name a couple of candidates who would have been better suited for the job. Also, I don’t know if this hire will appease Deion Sanders, who still may force a trade. Sanders was unhappy with Ran Carthon’s firing, so I’m not sure if the Borgonzi hire will convince Deion that his son will be well off in Tennessee.
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Jan. 12 Updates
Patriots hire HC Mike Vrabel: B+ Grade
It may seem odd for the Patriots to replace a Bill Belichick assistant with another Belichick assistant, but this is a clear upgrade. Jerod Mayo had a terrible showing last year, while Mike Vrabel consistently got the most out of the Titans when he was head coach in Tennessee. Vrabel even took a Ryan Tannehill-quarterbacked team to a No. 1 seed.
I like this hire, but I don’t love it. The problem is that the Patriots have a young quarterback who needs to be developed. If Vrabel hires a great offensive coordinator who gets the most out of Drake Maye, he’ll lose him to another head-coaching vacancy. I think hiring offensive coaches is the correct decision when a team has a very young quarterback because constant changes at coordinator can stunt the quarterback’s growth.
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Jan. 9 Updates
Raiders fire GM Tom Telesco: D Grade
I’m not sure I understand the thinking behind this firing. Tom Telesco had one year as the Raiders’ general manager. In that one year, he spent his first-round pick on Brock Bowers and then was able to land a solid third-rounder in right tackle D.J. Glaze. He also obtained Christian Wilkins, which was a promising acquisition until Wilkins suffered a season-ending injury.
The one fair criticism of Telesco is that he botched the quarterback situation with Gardner Minshew. However, the Raiders wanted Michael Penix Jr. and were robbed when the Falcons snatched him off the board at No. 8. I wouldn’t fault Telesco for this because almost no one predicted that Penix would be drafted that early.
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Jan. 7 Updates
Raiders fire HC Antonio Pierce: A+ Grade
Antonio Pierce had a great run at the end of the 2023 season to keep his job. The players rallied around him, and everyone was happy.
This move was evidence that listening to players about such matters can often backfire. Pierce proved to be completely overwhelmed as the Raiders’ full-time head coach. He constantly made bizarre in-game decisions, such as kicking irrelevant field goals with barely any time remaining on the clock. Pierce’s approach to his quarterbacks didn’t make any sense either. Firing him was for the best.
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Titans fire GM Ran Carthon: A+ Grade
There was a power struggle between Mike Vrabel and Ran Carthon, and the Titans chose incorrectly. Ownership kept Carthon, who spent like a drunken sailor last offseason. Despite all the money Carthon gave to free agents, the Titans had just three wins to show for it. Carthon also blew a high pick on Will Levis and replaced Vrabel with the woefully inept Brian Callahan. It was clear that Carthon ran out of chances and needed to be dismissed.
It’s a shame that the Titans can’t reverse history. They were a solid team under Vrabel. Had they kept Vrabel and found a smarter general manager, they’d be in a much better situation right now.
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Jan. 6 Updates
Colts fire DC Gus Bradley: A+ Grade
If you’re looking for the architect of the defense that allowed Drew Lock to score 45 points and play like the sixth-best quarterback since 1999, here he is. Gus Bradley’s defense was miserable all season, ranking dead last in missed tackles, but what transpired against the Giants will go down as one of the most humiliating performances in NFL history.
There’s no question that Bradley should have been fired. His defenses have been infamously porous over the years, so much so that they have been the laughing stock in the NFL. Certain quarterbacks almost have a bye whenever they battle him, so there was no reason he should have remained in control of any defense in the NFL.
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Seahawks fire OC Ryan Grubb: A- Grade
I don’t like when teams constantly shuffle offensive coordinators because it disrupts a quarterback’s flow and development, but the Seahawks are built to win now, and they didn’t seem as though they could win with Ryan Grubb. Thus, it was the correct decision to fire him.
The Seahawks had a great running game in 2023, but Grubb failed to duplicate that last year. The team had major issues at guard and center, especially when Connor Williams shockingly retired, but Grubb failed to scheme around this and incorporate any sort of play-action game as a consequence. The Seahawks really must rebuild their interior offensive line, but they also have to find a better play-caller.
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Bengals fire DC Lou Anarumo: F Grade
When an organization believes that there should be a fall guy, generally it’s because someone on a higher level f**ked up and doesn’t want the attention on them. That is obviously the case concerning this firing.
It’s idiotic to fire Lou Anarumo. The 58-year-old was a terrific defensive coordinator, but saw his defense collapse this year. This was because the front office failed to re-sign talented defenders like Jessie Bates, D.J. Reader, and Chidobe Awuzie recently. Not only that; the front office failed to draft viable replacements. Somehow, this all fell on Anarumo, who didn’t have the pieces to assemble another strong defense.
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Jaguars fire HC Doug Pederson: A+ Grade
This can’t have been a surprise to anyone. Doug Pederson proved to be a major upgrade over Urban Meyer, but the same could have been said of a trained walrus. Pederson looked like the solution at first, but it quickly became apparent that this was not the case.
Pederson’s major problem in Philadelphia was that he oversaw the complete regression of Carson Wentz. The same thing appeared to be happening in Jacksonville, as Trevor Lawrence had gotten worse in each of Pederson’s three seasons. The Jaguars risked losing Lawrence forever had they not fired Pederson.
Luckily for the Jaguars, there are a number of sharp, offensive-minded coaches available to help salvage Lawrence’s career. Ben Johnson and Liam Coen are just two examples of this. The Jaguars need to make sure that they avoid another retread this time.
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Jan. 5 Updates
Patriots fire HC Jerod Mayo: A Grade
Jeord Mayo was the hand-picked successor for Bill Belichick, but his coaching tenure did not begin well. He began by citing DEI nonsense during his introductory press conference. He then was the laughing stock of the preseason when his team couldn’t get through a half without double-digit penalties. He beat the Bengals in Week 1, but that was a rare bright moment. In that game and other early ones, Mayo kept Drake Maye on the bench, not because he wasn’t ready, but because he stated that Jacoby Brissett was the better quarterback.
Mayo closed out his first and only season by blowing the No. 1 overall pick by winning a meaningless game. If that wasn’t already the final straw, then that certainly was it, as Mayo was justly dismissed after one year.
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Nov. 29 Updates
Bears fire HC Matt Eberflus: A+ Grade
The Bears had never fired a head coach in the middle of the season during the 104-year history of their franchise. That changed today with the front office dismissing Eberflus following his Thanksgiving debacle.
Eberflus’ in-game management has been horrible, but what transpired at the end of the initial Thanksgiving game was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Chicago allowed the entire game clock to expire despite having one more down and one timeout, and Eberflus just stood there, frozen, resembling some kid trying to figure out how to talk to a girl standing on the other side of the room of the seventh-grade dance. It was embarrassing, and I really had no idea how he was going to address the locker room after that horrendous display. I guess he’ll be spared from doing so.
The Bears had to move on from Eberflus, so it makes sense to do it now during the mini-bye week.
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Nov. 19 Updates
Jets fire GM Joe Douglas: A Grade
The Joe Douglas era wasn’t all bad. Douglas nailed some draft picks outside of the first round, including Breece Hall in the second round, Braelon Allen in the fourth, and Michael Carter II in the fifth. Douglas assembled quality talent on the roster, but didn’t put a very good team together. The Jets were a pitiful 30-64 under his watch.
Douglas, of course, made some horrible blunders as well. He overpaid for Corey Davis and Allen Lazard. He botched the Zach Wilson and Mekhi Becton picks. He selected Olu Fashanu over Brock Bowers even though Bowers would have helped right away. And then there was the entire Aaron Rodgers plan, which blew up in his face.
It makes sense for the Jets to fire Douglas. He wasn’t the worst NFL general manager we’ve seen, but the team can do much better.
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Nov. 12 Updates
Bears fire OC Shane Waldron: A+ Grade
It would have been shocking had this move not occurred this week. Shane Waldrn nearly got his rookie quarterback killed last week, with Caleb Williams taking nine sacks in a humiliating loss to the Patriots.
Waldron has no business being an offensive coordinator in the NFL. He completely misused all the talent the front office acquired for him this offseason. He was out-coached in nearly every game, and he failed to make any sort of adjustments to the opposition or for injuries to his players. The Bears, and Williams in particular, will be in better hands with Thomas Brown.
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Nov. 4 Updates
Saints fire HC Dennis Allen: A+ Grade
I hated this hiring from the start. When the Saints hired Dennis Allen, I gave them an “F” grade, stating, “We’ve seen Allen in action already, and he was a failure with the Raiders. His record in Oakland from 2012 to 2014 was 8-28. … Allen did a great job as New Orleans’ defensive coordinator, but he has proven that he’s not up to the task as a head coach.”
I don’t understand why the move was made in the first place, and I don’t get what took so long to fire Allen. He’s an abysmal coach whose teams have always underperformed. He makes poor in-game decisions and adjustments. The camel that broke the straw’s back, to quote a former NFL running back, was the loss to the Panthers in which Carolina won despite being outgained by nearly 200 yards. This has been commonplace for the Saints under Allen, as it was the 11th time the Saints have lost despite outgaining their opponent under their former head coach.
The Saints may lose more often than they would normally moving forward this season under an unprepared interim coach, but that’s OK because New Orleans’ goal should be obtaining the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Check out my 2025 NFL Mock Draft to see which propsects are available.
By the way, I was reminded by Cassandra that I must give a euology to Allen’s ATS record. We won’t get to bet against Allen again, with Allen finishing his head-coaching career with a 32-50 against the spread record. Now, if I may, a moment of silence for this loss.
…
Thank you.
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Raiders fire OC Luke Getsy, OL Coach James Cregg, QB Coach Rich Scangarello: A+ Grade
Fire them all. This Raiders coaching staff has been a disaster. Every offensive coach should be dismissed. Antonio Pierce should be fired as well, but only after the regular season is over, just so the Raiders aren’t fooled into falling in love with another interim head coach.
Getting rid of all the assistant coaches can’t be good for the Raiders’ chances of winning this year, but that’s a good thing. The Raiders wanted Michael Penix Jr. last April, but the Falcons snatched him away from them. By losing the rest of their games, the Raiders can ensure themselves of Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward, allowing them to properly rebuild with a franchise quarterback.
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Oct. 8 Updates
Jets fire HC Robert Saleh: A- Grade
There’s been an extensive history of NFL head coaching being fired following disappointing results in London. Robert Saleh is the latest victim, as his loss to the Vikings ended his coaching tenure in New York.
This is a move that had to be made. Saleh failed to prepare his team well for too many games and often made bone-headed in-game coaching decisions. He kicked too many field goals from inside the 5-yard line, for example. It was clear that Saleh was going to find a way to sabotage the Jets at some point this year.
The only reason this grade is not an A+ is because Nathaniel Hackett wasn’t also axed. Hackett is one of the worst offensive coordinators in the NFL, and of all the coaches, he’s most responsible for the Jets’ disappointing 2-3 start. It seems obvious that Aaron Rodgers told management that he wanted Hackett to remain, but firing him would have been the best decision.
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NFL Power Rankings - Feb. 13
2025 NFL Mock Draft - Feb. 11
NFL Picks - Feb. 9
2026 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 29
Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4
