The 2025 NFL season is already leaving its mark off the field, as four head coaches have been fired in just the first week of January, signaling a league-wide push for fresh starts and new directions.
The Cleveland Browns were first to make headlines Monday, announcing the dismissal of head coach Kevin Stefanski after six seasons. Stefanski’s tenure saw highs and lows, including two playoff appearances and two NFL Coach of the Year awards. From 2020 to 2023, he posted a .552 winning percentage—the best for Cleveland in a four-year span since the late 1980s. But the past two seasons have been a struggle, with a combined 8-26 record and back-to-back last-place finishes in the AFC North. Cleveland finished 5-12 in 2025, marking Stefanski’s fourth losing season. The Browns’ front office confirmed that general manager Andrew Berry will remain in his role.
The Las Vegas Raiders followed suit, parting ways with Pete Carroll after just one season. Carroll, 74, went 3-14, ending a 10-game losing streak the week before the season finale win over Kansas City. It marked the first time Carroll had been fired after a single season since his brief tenure with the New York Jets in 1994. Carroll had been brought in to rebuild the Raiders, joining offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and quarterback Geno Smith in a plan to establish a winning culture. However, the results never materialized, and Las Vegas will now search for its sixth head coach since 2021.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons announced the firing of head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot after consecutive disappointing seasons. The Falcons finished 8-9 in 2025, narrowly defeating the New Orleans Saints in their season finale. Morris, hired in 2024, went 16-18 over two seasons, while Fontenot, with the team since 2021, never posted a winning record in five years. Atlanta has not made the playoffs since 2017 and has gone eight straight seasons without a winning record. Team president Greg Beadles was elevated to president and CEO, with plans to hire a new president of football operations from outside the organization.
Lastly, the Arizona Cardinals dismissed Jonathan Gannon on Monday following a 3-14 season—the franchise’s worst in the modern era. Gannon, who coached for three seasons, leaves with a 15-36 record and no playoff appearances. Arizona struggled in the NFC West, going 3-15 in divisional matchups, and endured losing streaks of five and nine games during the 2025 season. Despite expectations for progress in Gannon’s third year, offensive struggles and injuries hampered the team’s ability to compete. GM Monti Ossenfort will lead the search for a replacement.
With these four firings, the 2025-26 NFL offseason has already become one of the busiest in recent memory. Teams are signaling a readiness to make sweeping changes, and fans can expect a flurry of coaching hires as franchises aim to reset before the 2026 season.
