The Las Vegas Raiders have terminated the contract of head coach Pete Carroll after a disappointing season where the team finished with a 3-14 record, including a 10-game losing streak. Despite a final victory over Kansas City, the decision was made by team owner Mark Davis and minority owner Tom Brady, who will collaborate with general manager John Spytek to search for a new coach, potentially focusing on an offensive-minded candidate to mentor the young quarterback.
Carroll, 74, who was the oldest head coach in the NFL and previously led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory, faced the consequences of a challenging season. In Arizona, the Cardinals also made a coaching change by firing Jonathan Gannon after a tumultuous third season marked by injuries, mistakes, and a series of losses that culminated in a noncompetitive stretch.
The Cardinals suffered a 37-20 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, marking their ninth consecutive loss and 14th loss in 15 games. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns parted ways with coach Kevin Stefanski after six seasons, making him the fourth NFL coach dismissed this season. Stefanski, a two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year, guided the Browns to playoff appearances in 2020 and 2023 but struggled to maintain consistency, resulting in a 5-12 record this season.
In a bid to revamp the team and break their streak of eight losing seasons, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank announced the dismissal of coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot. Blank revealed plans for additional upper management changes, including the recruitment of a new football president from outside the organization to oversee football operations. The Falcons concluded their season with a 19-17 win over the New Orleans Saints, finishing with an 8-9 record under Morris for the second consecutive season and falling short of a playoff berth since 2017.