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In this episode, Santiago and Jeff recap the NFL coaching changes that have happened so far.
Contributors
Santiago Leon – @sleon
Jeff Gignac – @JeffGignac
Texans fire Lovie Smith
Nearly a calendar year after firing David Culley just one season into his tenure as head coach, the Texans followed suit with Smith, 64, dismissing the coach just hours after he guided Houston to a Week 18 upset over the Colts. Originally hired as Culley’s defensive coordinator in 2021, Smith was promoted to the top job after an extensive interview process last offseason, and went 3-13-1 on the job. He said ahead of Sunday’s regular-season finale he expected to return in 2023, and led the Texans to two wins in their final three games, but also surrendered the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft in doing so. Despite guiding a competitive defense for much of the year, Smith never elevated an undermanned offense, and hasn’t posted a winning record since 2012.
Cardinals fire Cliff Kingsbury
Four years after arriving alongside No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray, Kingsbury is out to cap the worst season of his mercurial tenure in Arizona. Despite improving the team on paper in his second and third seasons at the helm of the team, the former Texas Tech coach managed just a single playoff appearance while overseeing four straight late-year slumps. An aging, injury-riddled roster didn’t necessarily help, nor did a banged-up and erratic Murray, but Kingsbury’s offense too often lacked rhythm to remain relevant. This year’s 4-13 campaign sealed the deal, and now Arizona will likely look to hire another offensive mind capable of rejuvenating Murray after the QB inked a lucrative extension last offseason.
Previously fired
These coaches were dismissed before the end of the 2022 NFL season:
Nathaniel Hackett
Broncos
Dec. 26
4-11
Frank Reich
Colts
Nov. 7
3-5-1
Matt Rhule
Panthers
Oct. 10
1-4
INTERVIEWS
Arizona Cardinals
Brian Flores, linebackers coach (Steelers): Interview requested
Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Cardinals): To interview
Sean Payton, former head coach (Saints): Granted permission to interview
Carolina Panthers
Jim Caldwell, former head coach (Lions): Interviewed
Ken Dorsey, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interview requested
Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): No longer on radar
Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interview requested
Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Interview requested
Jerod Mayo, inside linebackers coach (Patriots): Interview requested
Frank Reich, former head coach (Colts): Interview expected
DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interview requested
Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview 1/14
Steve Wilks, interim head coach (Panthers): To interview 1/10
Denver Broncos
Jim Caldwell, former head coach (Lions): Interviewed 1/11
Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/10
Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): Interviewed 1/9
Raheem Morris, defensive coordinator (Rams): To interview 1/17
Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator (Cowboys): Interview expected
Frank Reich, former head coach (Colts): Mentioned as candidate; team moving in different direction
DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interview expected
Sean Payton, former head coach (Saints): To interview 1/17; Broncos, Saints in agreement on trade compensation
David Shaw, former head coach (Stanford Cardinal): Interviewed 1/11
Houston Texans
Thomas Brown, tight ends coach (Rams): Interview requested
Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): To interview
Jonathan Gannon, defensive coordinator (Eagles): Early frontrunner?; to interview 1/14
Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): Interviewed 1/12
Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Interview requested
Sean Payton, former head coach (Saints): Granted permission to interview
DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator (49ers): Not interested in interview request?
Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview 1/13
Indianapolis Colts
Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/12
Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): To interview 1/12
Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interview requested
Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): Mentioned as candidate
Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): To interview 1/13
Raheem Morris, defensive coordinator (Rams): Interview requested
Jeff Saturday, interim head coach (Colts): Interview expected
Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview 1/14
Bubba Ventrone, special teams coordinator (Colts): Interviewed 1/11
PREDICTIONS
SATURDAY
SEA-SF
JF: SEA
LAC-JAX
JF: LAC
SUN
MIA-BUF
JF: BUF
NYG-MIN
JF: MIN
BAL-CIN
JF: CIN
MON
DAL-TB
JF: DAL
Santiago Leon is the Founder and CEO of the Sports Cast. He covers almost every sport: NFL, NBA, and world soccer. He’s also founder of sleon productions, which he specializes in technology and serves clients with solutions to make their business grow.