Last-Minute NFL Coaching Carousel Predictions Ahead of Black Monday

Eighteen teams' seasons will end this weekend, and some coaching tenures will also be curtailed soon after.

It happens every year, often on what we in NFL circles call Black Monday.

There are already two head coaching vacancies, but let's speculate on who might join Brian Callahan and Brian Daboll, as well as who will land where for the 2026 season.

Klint Kubiak Replaces Pete Carroll in Las Vegas

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Pete Carroll

It's clear the Pete Carroll experiment hasn't panned out for the Las Vegas Raiders, who have far too much talent to be a two-win team.

Carroll's defense has been awful regardless of injuries, and his staff has gotten nothing out of veteran Geno Smith offensively. There's also been reported friction within the locker room, and the team needs fresh blood rather than a veteran coach whose approach hasn't worked in Vegas.

The Raiders are likely to have the top pick in the 2026 draft, and they're likely to use that selection on a quarterback. And that's where Klint Kubiak comes in. 

The 38-year-old was the passing game coordinator during Brock Purdy's excellent sophomore campaign in San Francisco, and he's had a ton of success with Sam Darnold in Seattle this season. 

His offensive approach makes a lot of sense in Vegas with a rookie quarterback. You know he'd emphasize running back Ashton Jeanty to take pressure off of whoever is drafted, and he would provide a much-needed breath of fresh air to the Raiders.

Browns Stick with Kevin Stefanski

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Kevin Stefanski

It's easy to see why plenty of Cleveland Browns fans might also desire a fresh start in the head coaching role after another failed season, but it's important to maintain perspective on Kevin Stefanski.

The 43-year-old is not working with a talented roster and there's been a carousel at quarterback. 

Shedeur Sanders has flashed a little under Stefanski's tutelage, and let's not forget he has won Coach of the Year twice this decade. The last two seasons have been ugly, but this is a rebuild. 

The Browns shouldn't fall victim to "grass is greener" thinking. The defense is awesome. They have two first-round picks, one of which will be in the top 10. They have several potential long-term options at quarterback. Moving away from Stefanski right now could do a lot more harm than good. 

He should get one more shot at getting the team on track.

Mike McCarthy to the Giants

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Mike McCarthy

The New York Giants need somebody who can hone quarterback Jaxson Dart and take him to the next level. That could be Klint Kubiak or Joe Brady if they want someone fresh, and I'd applaud either move.

However, I get the sense they will go with the more accomplished and familiar Mike McCarthy as their "offensive CEO" to oversee this continued rebuild. 

Would it be the right move? It's risky considering the lack of success he's had in recent years with Green Bay and Dallas, but he's also got Super Bowl pedigree and oversaw the emergence of Aaron Rodgers as well as some very good years from Dak Prescott. 

The 62-year-old could perform differently with less immediate expectations in this situation. Few expect the Giants to be a Super Bowl team in 2026. A first-time coach carries risk as well, and I'm not sure they would want to take on another former Bills staffer right after Brian Daboll failed to pan out. 

Obviously, we don't expect this move on Black Monday, but the more immediate point is the G-Men are likely to stick with Mike Kafka beyond Sunday because there are plenty of stronger candidates at the moment. 

Bucs to Move on From Todd Bowles if They Miss the Playoffs

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Todd Bowles

Todd Bowles hasn't done a bad job the last few years with a Bucs team that was beyond its Super Bowl-level peak when he took over in 2022. He might still win the division title for the fourth year in a row this weekend. 

However, this will also mark the third consecutive year in which his defense would rank below the league median. If he does fall short of the playoffs and the Bucs end the season with eight losses in a nine-game span, it might be time for a change.

I'd love to see what a fresh, rising name such as Klint Kubiak could do with that Tampa offense.

Same for Cardinals and Jonathan Gannon

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Jonathan Gannon

Could Joe Brady or Klint Kubiak fix the Arizona Cardinals offense with or without Kyler Murray? It might be time to find out. Regardless, the team has to go in a new direction, probably at both coach and quarterback. 

That would start after this weekend with the termination of Gannon, who has won just three games with a relatively talented roster in 2025. 

His defense has been a huge reason for that, but he is 15-35 as Arizona head coach. It's pretty much impossible to survive a three-season stretch like that these days, especially when you're not in a full-blown rebuild.

Aaron Glenn Gets Another Shot With the Jets

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Aaron Glenn

There's been plenty of chatter this season that Aaron Glenn could be one-and-done with the New York Jets, who had high expectations for an improved 2025 campaign.

However, I'm having a hard time pinning much of this disappointing campaign on the 53-year-old. 

The Jets held a fire sale ahead of the trade deadline and have been unsurprisingly uncompetitive since. Now, that fire sale took place because they had already played their way out of contention under Glenn, but a lot of that fell on the offense and quarterback issues that he only had so much control over. 

He is a first-time head coach in a tough spot. Maybe the Jets hoped for a little more this year, but a lot has conspired against them. The organization needs to exhibit some patience here. 

If anything, they should release offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand and start fresh offensively at quarterback and OC.