We’re tracking all the NFL coaching news after Week 18 and the playoff outlook heading into wild-card weekend.
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The 2024 NFL regular season is in the books, and soon all eyes will be on the 14 teams heading to the playoffs, beginning with this upcoming weekend’s wild-card round. Before then, the teams on the outside looking will likely be making headlines.
Last season, nearly a quarter of the NFL’s franchises had head coaching turnover. What does 2025 hold for teams that are looking for a fresh start, besides their favorable draft position? Here’s a look at the notable coaching landscape:
Las Vegas Raiders: The team, notably Tom Brady, has reached out to Bill Belichick recently, according to an NFL Network report on Wednesday. The Raiders fired head coach Antonio Pierce on Tuesday after one full season.
Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys denied the Chicago Bears’ request to interview Mike McCarthy, according to ESPN. McCarthy is under contract with the Cowboys through Tuesday.
Tennessee Titans: While general manager Ran Carthon is out, head coach Brian Callahan will remain.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Jags owner Shad Khan released a statement Monday announcing the firing of Doug Pederson, a move that had been expected since the middle of the season. The 4-13 Jaguars started 2024 with a four-game losing streak, then lost five straight games from Week 8 through 13 while QB Trevor Lawrence had another injury-filled season. While Pederson has been fired, general manager Trent Baalke will remain in place.
New England Patriots: The Patriots now need a new head coach after firing Jerod Mayo right after their Week 18 victory over the Bills, which meant they lost out on the No. 1 overall pick. With Drake Maye in place, it’s an attractive opening, as much as the rest of the roster needs work. Team owner Robert Kraft will presumably have more patience with the next hire than Mayo, a former Patriots player who lasted just one season replacing Bill Belichick.
New Orleans Saints: Dennis Allen was fired on Nov. 4 after a seventh straight loss that evaporated a strong 2-0 start. Allen went 18-25 in three seasons in New Orleans and failed to make the postseason. Darren Rizzi finished the 2024 campaign 5-12. Whoever takes the reins faces a rebuild amid the Saints’ usual salary-cap headaches and uncertainty at the QB position.
New York Jets: This is one of the messier positions in the league as the franchise is also looking for a general manager. The club fired head coach Robert Saleh on Oct. 8 after starting 2-3 and GM Joe Douglas was dismissed six weeks later. While the team has begun interviews, it’s unclear whether QB Aaron Rodgers will be part of the new regime. Mike Vrabel reportedly interviewed for the job last week, along with Ron Rivera. ESPN analyst Louis Riddick interviewed for the GM position.
Chicago Bears: The Bears made history by firing their head coach in-season for the first time, with Thomas Brown taking over as the team was amid a 10-game losing streak that ended with a win over the Packers in the season finale. Whoever replaces Matt Eberflus will be charged primarily with getting No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams on track after a rocky rookie season.
Here’s a full list of interview candidates for each team.
As for the teams that will turn their attention to playoff preparation over the next two weeks, here’s a look at next weekend’s matchups.
Follow along with Yahoo Sports as the NFL turns the page from the regular season to the playoffs.
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Raiders fire head coach Antonio Pierce
By the end of last season, Antonio Pierce had rallied the Las Vegas Raiders during a successful stint as interim coach and got the chance to replicate that success as the permanent head coach this season.
He couldn’t.
The Raiders started 2-12 and it was clear that Pierce wouldn’t last another season. Pierce was fired on Tuesday afternoon, the team announced. General manager Tom Telesco will keep his job.
Pierce was supposed to be an interim coach getting the Raiders through the remainder of a tough 2023 season after Josh McDaniels was fired. Pierce was a former NFL linebacker who had less than two full seasons of NFL coaching experience, as a linebackers coach. But the players quickly took to his leadership style and he brought energy and confidence to a Raiders franchise that needed it. A win at the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas was a huge factor in team owner Mark Davis deciding to give Pierce the job on a permanent basis.
Not much of the momentum carried over. The Raiders had quarterback issues, which didn’t help. They traded their star receiver, Davante Adams. The Raiders went 2-2, including a victory against the Baltimore Ravens, but lost 10 straight games after that. They got a couple wins late in the season, but it was too late for it to matter for Davis and his decision on his 2025 head coach.
For more, read here.
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Report: NFL teams are reaching out to Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick might be a hot name in the NFL coaching carousel. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) We may be about to find out just how committed Bill Belichick is to coaching North Carolina in 2025.
According to the NFL Network, “multiple” NFL teams have approached Belichick about their coaching vacancies. And one of those teams is the Las Vegas Raiders, where Tom Brady is a minority owner.
But Brady has been in touch with Belichick recently as the Raiders weighed the future of head coach Antonio Pierce, who was fired on Tuesday after going 4-13 in his lone season as the full-time head coach. Brady and Belichick won six Super Bowls together with the Patriots, and sources say Brady believes the situation in Las Vegas requires a coach of Belichick’s expertise and stature to establish a sustainable winning program.
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Bears reportedly plan to interview Pete Carroll for head coach vacancy
Despite candidates like Mike McCarthy being off the table, the Chicago Bears are interviewing a wide range of potential head coaches. Reportedly among those is former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, with the Bears planning to interview the Super Bowl-winning coach on Thursday, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano.
Bears plan to interview former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll for their vacant head coach job Thursday, sources tell me and @JFowlerESPN
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) January 8, 2025
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Dallas Cowboys reportedly deny permission for Chicago Bears to interview Mike McCarthy
One day after requesting permission to interview Mike McCarthy, the Bears have reportedly gotten their answer from the Cowboys: a firm no, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
ESPN Source: The Dallas Cowboys denied permission to the Chicago Bears to interview their head coach Mike McCarthy.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 8, 2025
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Rex Ryan confident he’s going to be the next Jets coach
Rex Ryan is not only confident he’s going to become the next head coach of the Jets, but he believes he can reign in Aaron Rodgers.
“If he’s back, it ain’t gonna be the country club, show up whenever the hell you want to show up,” Ryan said. “That ain’t gonna happen. I’ll just leave it at that.”
Click the photo to read more about Rex Ryan and his potential future with the Jets organization. (David Buchan/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images) -
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