No move can improve your team faster than shedding an under-performing head coach. Far too few NFL teams took advantage of that fact so far, with, as of this writing, only five former head coaches joining Ben McAdoo atop the trash heap of history.
“Black Monday” actually began Sunday night, with the firing of Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano after completing a 4-12 Andrew Luck-less campaign. It didn’t take long for the Oakland Raiders’ Jack Del Rio to join him in the bread line, then everything got quiet.
The sun hit the sky Monday morning and just as quickly, Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell and the Chicago Bears’ John Fox hit the bricks.
And, in a rarely emotional moment, the Arizona Cardinals’ Bruce Arians announced he was retiring.
ARIZONA CARDINALS
For a guy that had to wait far too long for his head coaching opportunity and made the most of it, leading the Cardinals to a 49-30-1 mark and an appearance in the NFC Championship, Arians’ coaching career wraps up too soon. He was, easily, the most successful coach in the history of the franchise and is the only guy on this list who got to determine his own fate. There’s no question he would have been back in Arizona if his health and desire allowed it.
An emotional Bruce Arians announces his retirement as head coach of the @AZCardinals.#BeRedSeeRed https://t.co/JQqWXNFEOx
— NFL (@NFL) January 1, 2018
The Cardinals finished 8-8 this season after a 26-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field Sunday. Arians got emotional Monday as he announced he would walk away from the game. He did it all without his starting quarterback, Carson Palmer, and after losing one of the best running backs in the game, David Johnson, on opening day.
“The tears you see are really tears of joy, peace,” Arians said. “I’ll miss the players. I’ll miss coming out of the locker room, hearing the national anthem because it still gets me …I probably truly didn’t know until that kick (the game-winner against Seattle) went through that I was going to retire. I know everybody speculated for months …you now have the story. Like I said, it’s been an unbelievable journey.”
Arians’ retirement could mean some major changes, especially on offense. I think it’s unlikely Carson Palmer returns at quarterback and he will probably retire himself. There’s a real chance Larry Fitzgerald will hang up his cleats too. That means whoever gets the job as the new head coach will have to replace his quarterback and best wide receiver, who also happens to be the best player in the history of the franchise. It’s a tall order.
CHICAGO BEARS
A week after John Fox bragged that he’s never had trouble finding a job in the NFL, he’ll get to test that out. Fox was fired by the Bears Monday after a 5-11 finish to the 2017 season. Fox wraps up his tenure in Chicago (and I think as a head coach in the NFL) with a 14-34 record.
“Thank you to all the players, coaches, the city of Chicago and Bears fans everywhere, your passion for the game and this team is unmatched in the NFL,” Fox said in a statement. “Today is the tough part of our results-oriented business but I wish the Bears organization the best for years to come.”
The @ChicagoBears fire John Fox after three seasons. #NFL https://t.co/JWxR8Vsv8w pic.twitter.com/WTO0FtwLfh
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) January 1, 2018
What really hurt Fox, outside of just sucking for Chicago, is the success the Los Angeles Rams had with their new head coach this season, Sean McVay. Fox and former Rams coach Jeff Fisher are a lot alike and, as the season bore on, the comparisons, especially with a talented rookie quarterback in need of development, were unavoidable.
While the Cardinals haven’t broken out a list of candidates just yet, the Bears have wasted no time in compiling theirs. The front-runner looks like Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo. Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmer are all on the list. Get used to those names. Every team, especially one with a young or talented QB, will be looking at those guys.
DETROIT LIONS
Jim Caldwell is the rare head coach firing that came not from losing, but not winning enough. The Lions finished 9-7 for the second consecutive year and finished 36-28 in his four seasons with the team. Caldwell’s problem was he didn’t win the right games. His teams could never compete with the big boys and, in spite of tons of talent on both sides of the ball, consistently under-performed.
Jim Caldwell leaves Detroit with the highest win pct by a Lions head coach in the Super Bowl era.
The Lions just had consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1993-95. pic.twitter.com/Ksdp7VyyQZ
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) January 1, 2018
If you’re a Lions fan, you have to love that the team pulled the trigger here. With Matthew Stafford in his prime and the Pro Bowl level talent on offense and defense, there’s just no excuse to put up with Caldwell’s mediocrity. Hopefully the Tennessee Titans will take notice of this move and get jealous, jettisoning Mike Mularkey after the team is annihilated in the playoffs next weekend.
“On behalf of my family and the Lions organization I would like to thank Jim Caldwell for his exemplary leadership and service to our team and our community over the past four years,” Lions owner Martha Firestone Ford said in a statement. “I believe Jim is one of the finest leaders we’ve ever had as our head coach. Not only did he guide us on the field to three winning seasons, but he also set a standard of excellence off the field that had a tremendous impact on everyone in our organization and our entire community. …Our organization is better because of Jim, and we are forever grateful.”
Is it really, though? Caldwell didn’t add any powerhouse players to the roster. In fact, I’d argue that if Caldwell wasn’t the head coach, Calvin Johnson would still be with the team. Would that have mattered? Who knows?
Who are the Lions looking at? According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rappaport, they want to talk to Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. They’ve also requested to speak with Houston Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel (which would be a complete disaster. Come on, Fords.). Shumer is also on their list of candidates.
To be continued…
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