The Ax Falls: Black Monday Body Count of NFL Coaches

Three head coaches were the victims of NFL’s Black Monday, as the LA Chargers’ Anthony Lynn, the NY Jets’ Adam Gase, and Jacksonville’s Doug Marrone all found themselves out of a job. Two other rumored firings, Philadelphia’s Doug Pederson and Cincinnati’s Zak Taylor, had yet to materialize.

The NFL’s Black Monday is usually when organizations decide the fate of their head coaches. Last season, five coaches hit the unemployment line the day after the regular season ended.

This year, some teams didn’t even wait until the end of the year. Bill O’Brien of the Houston Texans, Dan Quinn of the Atlanta Falcons, and Matt Patricia of the Detroit Lions were each shown the door midway through the season.

Gase First Black Monday Casualty

The New York Jets made the announcement on Monday, but the decision to can Gase apparently was made on Sunday. The Jets were horrible, and Gase was, at one point, the odds-on favorite to be the first NFL head coach fired in 2020.

Jets management, however, decided to wait until after the season to make the move. Gase had been with the team for two seasons, compiling a record of 9-23. Jets CEO Christopher Johnson said in a statement a change had to be made.

“It is clear the best decision for the Jets is to move in a different direction,” Johnson said. “We knew there was a lot of work that needed to be done when Adam joined us in 2019. Our strong finish last year was encouraging, but unfortunately, we did not sustain that positive momentum or see the progress we all expected this season.”

Gase might not be out of work for long. He is being considered for the offensive coordinator job under Nick Saban at Alabama. He would replace Steve Sarkisian, who took the head coach’s job at the University of Texas.

Lynn Firing Will Attract Big Names

The Chargers announced early Monday that Lynn is no longer the team’s coach, a move that had been rumored for months. Lynn was with the team for four years, and led them to a playoff berth in 2018. His last two seasons were disappointing, however.

First-round draft pick Justin Herbert couldn’t save his coach’s job. The quarterback replaced Tyrod Taylor midway through the season, but the team finished with a 7-9 record. Herbert said Lynn was responsible for his progression.

“I learned a bunch from him,” Herbert said. “I’m really gonna miss him.”

Partly because of Herbert, the Los Angeles job should be attractive. The team has a young, exciting quarterback, and a solid defense.

Will Urban Meyer Replace Doug Marrone?

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ poor play secured the team the No. 1 pick in Trevor Lawrence. Unfortunately, Marrone won’t be around to see him in person. He was fired on Monday after five seasons where he compiled a 23-43 record.

The biggest rumor within the coaching world is that former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer will replace Marrone. Meyer hasn’t addressed the speculation, but several media outlets have reported that he’s a leading candidate for the Jacksonville job.

Jaguars owner Shad Khan denied he’s spoken to Meyer about the position.

“On the rumor of Urban Meyer, obviously, I’ve known Urban over the years through Big Ten, and what have you,” Khan said to the media. “But we have not spoken to anyone about this job or even, obviously, interviewed him.”