2024 NFL Coaching Carousel - Jeff Hanish/Imagn Images
It’s back again, NFL fans. The 2025 Coaching Carousel has returned and is already underway.
This year’s crop has planted more seeds in the garden, producing a surplus of coaches who can enhance the NFL’s real-world experience.
Let’s take a look at whether or not coaches’ firings were justified.
Should They Have Been Fired?
Robert Saleh/New York Jets
The marriage between Robert Saleh and the New York Jets was heading in the right direction.
After a (4-13), (8-9), and (7-10) record in three seasons, Saleh had built one of the NFL’s top-rated defenses.
The marriage ended up in a divorce, but not because of his ability to coach, it’s because of the over the top drama king at QB, known as Aaron Rodgers.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame committee will enshrine Rodgers as a Hall of Fame quarterback after a 20-year successful career.
They will also enshrine him for producing a football Broadway musical called “I Will Forget My Time with the Jets.”
This season, the Jets fired Saleh on Oct 8, but he was really the scapegoat for Rodgers, who brought them to a (2-3) record.
In modern-day English, Rodgers caused most of the problems; however, they needed to blame someone else. Unfortunately, Saleh paid the price and received his pink slip.
Saleh should use this as motivation. He is currently looking for other head coaching jobs. An old friend wants him back to be the defensive coordinator of his San Francisco 49ers staff.
We’re talking about getting the band back together, formed by Kyle Shanahan and, of course, Mr. Robert Saleh.
JUSTIFIED: No
Dennis Allen/New Orleans
Dennis Allen was on the hot seat dating back to last year. After a (9-8) record, expectations were high heading into 2024.
However, a loss to the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 4 plummeted the Saints to a (2-7) record. That was enough for the Saints to give Allen the heave-ho and let him go that same day.
The Oakland Raiders showed Allen the door after an (0-4) record in the 2014 season.
Allen still has a great defensive mind. From now on, I think he will only be looking for defensive coordinator jobs in the NFL.
He just doesn’t cut it as an NFL head coach.
JUSTIFIED: Yes
Should He Be Fired?
Matt Eberflus/Chicago
Matt Ebeflus officially wore out his welcome mat in the Windy City after rubbish clock management on Thanksgiving Day against the Detroit Lions.
As a result, the team dismissed him the next day, Nov. 29.
The Bears were (4-8) at the time of the firing, and Eberflus finished with a (14-32) record over two seasons on the sideline for Chicago.
The one positive is that he helped the Bears build a solid foundation on defense and left them a nice formula to help them continue to develop quarterback Caleb Williams.
Eberflus did a great job on one side of the ball. However, the Bears need an offensive-minded coach to help Williams advance in his development.
JUSTIFIED: Yes
Should He Be Fired?
Jerod Mayo/New England Patriots
On Jan. 5, a day after the New England Patriots defeated the Buffalo Bills, the Patriots shockingly fired Jerod Mayo after only one year as head coach.
Mayo only went (4-13) but had a bright spot in rookie QB Drake Maye.
The question is, why did team Owner Robert Kraft promote the 37-year-old to the head coaching position right after Bill Belichick retired, unprepared?
The team has a surplus of cap money to improve the roster next year that would still keep the Pats under the cap.
Additionally, the Pat’s defense played well, and who knows, they may have won more games in year two even if they kept Mayo.
The bottom line is that no team would fire their head coach after one year, especially in a rebuilding process.
Mayo might now be looking for defensive coordinator positions. Hopefully, by the next coaching carousel, this will better prepare him for his second head coaching job.
JUSTIFIED: NO
Should He Be Fired?
Doug Pederson/Jacksonville
After a (22-29) record in three seasons (9-8, 9-8, 4-13), tricky Doug Pederson ran out of his magical play calls. The Jags fired Pederson on Jan 6.
After two (9-8 records), including an AFC South divisional title in 2021, Pederson failed to meet higher expectations.
He didn’t prepare for starting QB Trevor Lawrence to be injured most of the season.
To be fair, this is Pederson’s reputation now in the NFL. The Eagles won a Super Bowl under him in his second season as head coach.
He always starts out hot wherever he goes and then falters by year three or four.
Honestly, I don’t know what his next gig will be. He could be a college head coach, but his passion is the NFL. Maybe he will go into broadcasting. I don’t know who will want him as an offensive coordinator.
JUSTIFIED: YES
Antonio Pierce/Las Vegas
Antonio Pierce was canned by owner Mark Davis on Jan. 7, after a (4-13) record in his first full year as the Raiders’ head coach.
The team played a hard-nosed-physical style of football for him at the end of the year. He oversaw rookie tight end Brock Bowers, earning 1,000 receiving yards as a tight end.
However, with higher expectations, the Raiders run a tight ship, especially moving from Oakland to Las Vegas.
Look for minority owner Tom Brady to have some say in the next head coaching search.
As for Pierce, he may be able to get a defensive assistant head coaching job with the New York Giants, a former team he played for.
JUSTIFIED: NO
With all these coaches being fired this season, we will now wait and see who will be the new coaches in the 2025 NFL Coaches Carousel.
Who do you think will take the ride?
