Tracking NFL coaching changes: Falcons fire Raheem Morris after two seasons

The Miami Dolphins fired coach Mike McDaniel after four seasons, becoming the eighth team to dismiss its head coach during the 2025 NFL season.

The Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons also fired their head coaches after Week 18, letting go of John Harbaugh, Jonathan Gannon, Pete Carroll, Kevin Stefanski and Raheem Morris, respectively. The Tennessee Titans and New York Giants fired their head coaches earlier in the season.

There have now been at least five head coaching changes in 16 straight seasons. A quarter of the league will be searching for new head coaches over the coming weeks.

Here's everything you need to know about the latest NFL head coach movement, including pros and cons for the open gigs.



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Former coach: Mike McDaniel (fired Jan. 8)

What happened: The Dolphins have fired McDaniel, the team announced Thursday. The move comes after McDaniel had met with reporters Monday and said he would be part of the team's interviews to hire a new general manager. Owner Stephen Ross met with McDaniel on Tuesday to discuss the season, and after that meeting and reflection, Ross decided to move on.

Pros of the Miami job: Besides living in Miami? Ross is willing to invest in the team, and its facilities are toward the top of the league. The Dolphins also own five picks in the first three rounds of the 2026 draft, have one of the league's best running backs in De'Von Achane and a building block left tackle in Patrick Paul. Miami's next head coach will also have the opportunity to build from scratch with the team's new general manager.

Cons of the Miami job: Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receiver Tyreek Hill represent a $108 million cap hit in 2026. The former was benched for rookie Quinn Ewers this season, and Hill missed 13 games with a dislocated knee. Miami's roster is thin and there isn't a ton of salary cap space to build through free agency, so their 2026 draft class must be a hit. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

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Former coach: John Harbaugh (fired Jan. 6)

What happened: Harbaugh is out as the coach of the Ravens, sources told Schefter on Tuesday. Harbaugh's exit came two days after the Ravens lost at the rival Steelers 26-24, which eliminated Baltimore from the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Harbaugh had signed a three-year extension last offseason and was under contract through the 2028 season.

Pros of the Baltimore job: It's the clear-cut best situation of all the head coach openings. Baltimore has a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player in quarterback Lamar Jackson and a Pro Bowl-filled roster. Plus, the Ravens offer a culture of winning -- the third-most wins in the NFL (86) since 2018 -- and stability. The franchise has had only three head coaches in its 30-year existence.

Cons of the Baltimore job: The immense pressure of winning immediately. The next coach is following in the footsteps of Harbaugh, the winningest coach in franchise history, who led Baltimore to 12 playoff appearances and suffered only three losing seasons. And the next coach will ultimately be judged on whether he can take Jackson to new postseason heights. In eight NFL seasons, Jackson has just three playoff victories. -- Jamison Hensley

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Former coach: Jonathan Gannon (fired Jan. 5)

What happened: The Cardinals fired Gannon after three seasons, sources told Schefter on Monday. Arizona finished 3-14 this season, bringing Gannon's record to 15-36 in his three seasons as the team's head coach. He never reached the playoffs while also never finishing higher than third in the NFC West. General manager Monti Ossenfort will spearhead the search for a new head coach.

Pros of the Arizona job: When healthy, the Cardinals' offense can sing, and the defense can shut down teams -- as evident in their Week 9 win over the Cowboys. Arizona's roster is chock-full of talented players such as Trey McBride, Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, Josh Sweat, Walter Nolen III and Budda Baker -- a solid core for any coach.

Cons of the Arizona job: Some of the injuries that decimated the roster in 2025 could be lingering into the offseason and potentially beyond. Then, there's dealing with an owner who's overly concerned about spending too many resources. Also, the three other NFC West teams finished with double-digit wins this season. -- Josh Weinfuss

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Former coach: Pete Carroll (fired Jan. 5)

What happened: The Carroll era with the Raiders is over after just one year. The team fired the 74-year-old coach Monday after it went 3-14 this season, which ended with a 14-12 win over the Chiefs. Before the game, Las Vegas had lost 10 straight and already had wrapped up the No. 1 selection in the 2026 NFL draft. Raiders owner Mark Davis said in a statement that general manager John Spytek, who was hired along with Carroll last year, will lead football operations with minority owner Tom Brady, including the search for the team's next coach.

Pros of the Las Vegas job: The Raiders have 10 projected draft picks in 2026, including the No. 1 pick. They have a significant amount of cap space -- second-most in the NFL, per Roster Management System. And they have a couple of budding stars in the building, such as tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty.

Cons of the Las Vegas job: Stability. The Raiders are preparing to hire their fifth head coach since 2021. For any candidate, the question of whether the organization will have the patience for them to execute their vision should arise. At the same time, a new coach will have to deal with star defensive end Maxx Crosby, who is viewed as a leader of the organization, being the subject of trade talks. -- Ryan McFadden

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Former coach: Kevin Stefanski (fired Jan. 5)

What happened: The Browns fired Stefanski after six seasons, the team announced Monday. They finished the 2025 season with a 5-12 record en route to their second straight last-place finish in the AFC North and their fourth losing season under Stefanski. The team also announced that Andrew Berry, who arrived in Cleveland with Stefanski in 2020, will remain in his position as general manager.

Pros of the Cleveland job: The Browns have an elite defense, led by 2025 sack champion Myles Garrett, that is ready to compete now. The offense is a work in progress, but the Browns will have two first-round picks and, in the words of Berry, "ample cap room" to spend this offseason.

Cons of the Cleveland job: Despite the assets to make additions, there's no clear answer at quarterback -- the new head coach will be tasked with finding a solution. With the No. 6 pick, Cleveland could be out of striking distance for a top prospect. And there could be further growing pains with the Browns needing to replace as many as four starting offensive linemen this offseason. -- Daniel Oyefusi

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Former coach: Raheem Morris (fired Jan. 4)

What happened: The Falcons fired Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot after two straight disappointing seasons, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Sunday night. Their exits came hours after Atlanta wrapped up an 8-9 season with a 19-17 win over the Saints. Fontenot had been with the Falcons since 2021; Morris was hired in 2024.

Pros of the Atlanta job: There's plenty of young talent to build around. Running back Bijan Robinson and wide receiver Drake London are stars on offense. Four of the team's top-five sack producers this season -- rookies James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker, Brandon Dorlus and Zach Harrison -- are all age 24 or younger. Rookie safety Xavier Watts, 24, had five interceptions this season.

Cons of the Atlanta job: The quarterback situation with Michael Penix Jr. on the shelf with a torn left ACL is in flux. He's likely to miss at least part of training camp, if not more. The Falcons also don't have a first-round pick or much cap space to make many impact moves this offseason. -- Marc Raimondi

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Former coach: Brian Daboll (fired Nov. 10)
Interim coach: Mike Kafka

What happened: The Giants fired Daboll after the team blew another double-digit lead to Chicago in Week 10. Daboll won 2022 Coach of the Year in his first season with the Giants when they surprisingly went 9-7-1 and won a playoff game in Minnesota. The Giants won just two of their first 10 games for the third straight year in 2025.

Pros of the New York job: The Giants are still considered a marquee franchise playing in the biggest market. That can be enticing for candidates. They also have a young quarterback in Jaxson Dart who accounted for 24 total touchdowns and seven turnovers as a rookie. The roster has some building blocks with a No. 1 receiver (Malik Nabers), standout left tackle (Andrew Thomas) and high-end edge rushers.

Cons of the New York job: The roster still has a lot of flaws and holes. Depth is a concern. So too may be the structure of the organization and ownership. There is uncertainty with the health of owner John Mara, who was diagnosed with cancer. The Giants also elected to bring back general manager Joe Schoen despite a 13-38 record the past three seasons. -- Jordan Raanan

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Former coach: Brian Callahan (fired Oct. 13)
Interim coach: Mike McCoy

What happened: The Titans fired Callahan just six games into his second season as the team's head coach. He finished with a 4-19 record as the Titans' coach, including 1-5 this season with 2025 No. 1 pick Cam Ward as the team's starting quarterback.

Pros of the Tennessee job: The Titans have the most cap space in 2026, per Roster Management System, and the No. 4 overall pick. They have Ward, who got monumentally better over the last five games of his rookie season. Defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons also just turned in his best season (11 sacks) of his career.

Cons of the Tennessee job: Outside of Ward and Simmons, the roster doesn't include many game changers on either side of the ball. The Titans have multiple holes to fill at premier positions such as cornerback, wide receiver and pass rusher. Then, there's the instability over the recent years. Dating back to 2022, Tennessee has fired either a general manager or head coach every year. -- Turron Davenport

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