Bill Belichick Gives Inside Look at NFL Black Monday for Everybody Impacted by Firings

UNC football coach Bill Belichick gave an insider's perspective on the ripple effects within NFL teams following "Black Monday" firings of head coaches on this week's appearance on the Let's Go! podcast with Jim Gray.

Belichick and the New England Patriots parted ways after 24 seasons and six Super Bowl wins six days after New England wrapped up the 2023 season on Jan. 11, 2024.

This year it was the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders and Arizona Cardinals who dismissed their former head coaches right at the end of the 2025 season.

"When it happens at the end of the year, I think the first thing I thought about, in changing jobs, is just the people that it affects," Belichick told Gray around the 5:20 mark. "The head coach leaves, but all the assistants that he brought there, all the support people— the people that worked hard for him in the equipment room, in the video room, in operations, salary cap... in a lot of cases, I was responsible for, or the coach is responsible for them being there.

"And same thing with the players. A lot of the players, when you change coaches, you change systems, and you bring in new players. And so, that's just the way it is. As a head coach, your departure is going to lead to a lot of other departures, which is going to affect not only those people but all their families. It's an emotional time. Generally, everyone lands on their feet, but it's still a tough stretch."

Belichick continued, "In some cases, it's a little bit of a relief, because for sometimes weeks or maybe even months, the writing might be on the wall, or the rumors or so forth are out there, that it puts a lot of pressure on the team, the families, the players, of what's gonna happen. When it actually happens, at least you're able to move forward."

Moving forward for many of these teams will likely involve changes at the quarterback position, where the Raiders could target a replacement for Geno Smith with their upcoming top pick in the 2026 draft.

The Cardinals could meanwhile consider moving on from Kyler Murray, while the Falcons will need to find another option in case Michael Penix Jr.'s ACL injury sidelines him for the start of 2026.

After the four end-of-season dismissals, as well as the midseason firings by the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans, there are currently six NFL head coaching jobs available this offseason.

When asked if he would have an interest in any of those openings after a 4-8 run during his first season as a college head coach, Belichick told Gray, "I'm where I was a month ago. I'm here at North Carolina... we're building a good program, and I'm excited about the direction we're heading in."

Belichick's name will likely remain one to watch as teams start announcing who they're interviewing while working to rebuild their coaching staffs ahead of the 2026 season.