It didn’t take even a full 24 hours for the second, third and fourth NFL head coaching jobs to open up. Monday morning the Chicago Bears fired coach Marc Trestman, the Atlanta Falcons fired Mike Smith and the New York Jets officially canned Rex Ryan.
All this comes after Sunday night’s news that the San Francisco 49ers and head coach Jim Harbaugh announced their mutual uncoupling. Harbaugh is expected to be announced as the new head coach at the University of Michigan today.
Joining their coaches in the unemployment line were Chicago General Manager Phil Emery and Jets GM John Idzik.
The Jets finished a 4-12 season, missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. Ryan has coached the Jets since 2009, taking them to two straight AFC Championship games before stumbling the last four seasons. Of his six NFL seasons, Ryan’s Jets finished with losing records only twice and boasted a 4-2 postseason record. Ryan was 50-52 as Jets head coach. Idzik was hired as the Jets GM two seasons ago,
“After extensive thought and reflection about the current state of our football team, this morning I informed Rex Ryan and John Idzik that they will not be returning for the 2015 season,” Jets owner Woody Johnson said in a statement. “Both Rex and John made significant contributions to the team, and they have my appreciation and gratitude for their efforts and commitment. Over the years, Rex brought the Jets a bold confidence and a couple of great post-season runs, which all of us will remember.”
Johnson has already hired former GMs Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf to assist him in finding a new head coach and general manager.
The divorce between Marc Trestman and the Bears also seemed inevitable after a disastrous 5-11 season that saw Trestman bench his starting quarterback, watch his star players call each other out publicly and suffer season-tanking leaks in the press from his coaching staff.
General Manager Phil Emery was given the boot after three seasons and firing the only winning coach Chicago had over the last decade, Lovie Smith, after the team finished 10-6 in 2012. Emery was also instrumental in signing QB Jay Cutler to a franchise-killer seven-year, $126 million extension (with $54 million guaranteed) during the offseason.
Chicago missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season and could never put a legitimate NFL defense on the field under Trestman and Emery, finishing the 2013 and 2014 seasons ranked No. 30 in total defense. The Bears lost their last five games under Trestman. Trestman finishes his first NFL head coaching stint with a 13-19 record.
The Falcons parting ways with Mike Smith came as no surprise, as team owner Arthur Blank had already contracted with Korn Ferry to find a new head coach, league sources told ESPN Sunday. Atlanta finished 6-10 this season after a 4-12 campaign last year. Two straight disappointing campaigns for a team that was a Super Bowl contender only three years ago.
“Smitty’s contributions to our club, team and city over the last seven years are numerous,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a release. “His accomplishments on the field made him the most successful coach in the 49-year history of the Falcons, and we are grateful for the foundation he has laid for us for the future.”
Losing in blowout fashion, 34-3, to the Panthers in a play-in to the playoff game ultimately cost Smith his job and is emblematic of his Falcons’ tenure. Smith teams never showed up for big games, going 1-4 in the playoffs in spite of five straight winning seasons and two 13-3 seasons. In all, Smith went 66-46 with the Falcons.
Sunday night the only thing about Harbaugh’s announcement that he and the 49ers had split was the timing, just moments after the 49ers beat the Cardinals 20-17 to finish the 2014 season at 8-8. Harbaugh returns to the college ranks after going 44-22-1 with the 49ers, appearing in a Super Bowl and three NFC Championship games.
“Jim and I have come to the conclusion that it is in our mutual best interest to move in different directions,” said 49ers CEO Jed York in a Sunday statement. “We thank Jim for bringing a tremendous competitive nature and a great passion for the game to the 49ers. He and his staff restored a winning culture that has been the standard for our franchise throughout its history. Their commitment and hard work resulted in a period of success that should be looked back on proudly by our organization and our fans. We wish Jim and his family all the best.”
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Michigan has already reported Harbaugh’s hire to its biggest boosters and will officially announce it Tuesday. Harbaugh played quarterback at Michigan from 1983 to 1986.
