NFL Black Monday 2019: Coaches on Hot Seat, Rumors and Firing News

Several NFL teams have seen their seasons end on Sunday, which means several coaches have already seen or are waiting to see if they'll return for 2019.

At least one coach can breathe easy, as Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan confirmed in a statement that head coach Doug Marrone and general manager David Caldwell will return in 2019.

Marrone's return can somewhat be considered a surprise, as the Jaguars entered 2018 with high hopes and finished 5-11. Does Khan believe that Marrone can have his team flourishing without quarterback Blake Bortles, who could have played his last game as a Jaguar on Sunday?

Additionally, NFL Netowrk's Mike Silver and Ian Rapoport reported that Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera has been informed he will return for 2019, though the team has not commented nor confirmed yet.

Outside of Jacksonville and presumably Carolina, certain coaches' seats are toasty on Black Monday.

Todd Bowles, New York Jets

The New York Jets finished their season in embarrassing style, losing to the New England Patriots by a score of 38-3. After the game, head coach Todd Bowles addressed the media but did not address his job status. "I don't talk about my job," he said, according to SNY.tv. "That's been consistent since I've been here."

Unfortunately for him, just hours later, the Jets addressed it for him by releasing a statement that Bowles will not be returning as head coach in 2019.

What has been consistent for the Jets since Bowles took over in 2015 is losing. After going 10-6 in 2015, the Jets finished 2016 and 2017 at 5-11. This season, New York stumbled to 4-12 with rookie quarterback Sam Darnold in and out of the lineup.

With Darnold as the future of the franchise, the Jets have to consider what coach to pair with him. According to Fox's Jay Glazer: "They want somebody who's gonna be able to mold Sam Darnold."

Glazer went on to report six other coaches he expects to be fired.

Gregg Williams, Cleveland Browns

Gail Burton/Associated Press

The Cleveland Browns are another team with a promising rookie quarterback—perhaps, actually, the Rookie of the Year—who they want to build around. Following a Week 8 loss, Hue Jackson was fired after spending two-and-a-half seasons as Cleveland's head coach.

Since then, interim head coach Gregg Williams has led the team to a 5-3 record—finishing at 7-8-1.

Even so, according to Glazer, "he still has not done enough yet to lock that job up. They've been doing a lot of back-channeling [of] information about other candidates. They want to bring other guys in and really widen that search. [Williams] still has to go in and win that job."

The Browns, despite uncertainty at head coach and in leadership, have shown tremendous growth and potential in 2018, with Mayfield at quarterback for the foreseeable future and other talented rookies such as running back Nick Chubb and cornerback Denzel Ward.

Jackson's refusal to buy into Mayfield contributed to his exit in Cleveland. The Browns need a coach who will properly use the 2018 No. 1 overall pick and surround him with the cast he needs.

Imagine the damage the Browns could do with the right man patrolling the sidelines.

Steve Wilks, Arizona Cardinals

Ralph Freso/Associated Press

The Cardinals have a rookie quarterback, too, in Josh Rosen. But Rosen doesn't have nearly the same pieces surrounding him as Mayfield. This is only head coach Steve Wilks' first season in charge, but it is expected that 2018 will be his only season in Arizona, according to both Glazer and Rapoport.

In contrast to the team's 3-13 record, veteran Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald and Patrick Peterson have publicly supported Wilks. Fitzgerald, who has spent his entire 15-season career in Arizona, went so far to text Rapoport: "We all would want him back. I love Wilks. Great dude. We all play hard for him. That's the team -- not me alone -- speaking on it."

Even with the weight future Hall of Fame wide receiver Fitzgerald's opinion holds, the Cardinals have to consider the future of their franchise with Rosen under center. Whom a 35-year-old receiver wants as head coach is not expected to be enough to save Wilks.

According to CBS NFL insider Jason La Canfora, the Cardinals are prepared to give former Green Bay Packers head coach—fired midseason—Mike McCarthy "full control of the organization," but La Canfora doesn't expect McCarthy to take them up on it.

One thing is for certain: after losing their season finale to the Seattle Seahawks, the Cardinals will have the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.

Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Cincinnati will again have a decision to make on head coach Marvin Lewis. At the end of last season, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Lewis was planning to leave the Bengals. Despite reports, Lewis signed a contract extension through 2019. Now, rumors again are rumbling that Lewis will step down from the Bengals after serving as head coach since 2003.

If history repeats itself, the Bengals will lead us in 50 different directions before we know for sure Lewis' future with the franchise.

Dirk Koetter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jason Behnken/Associated Press

Despite a very rocky 2018—starting the season suspended for four games and getting benched midway through the season—the Buccaneers reportedly intend to bring back quarterback Jameis Winston, per Schefter.

Following the Bucs' 34-32 loss to Atlanta, the Bucs wasted little time announcing Koetter's firing. Koetter spent three seasons in Tampa Bay. In his tenure, he posted a 19-29 record and did not reach the postseason.

Time will tell what Bucs brass plans to do to salvage a franchise in shambles, but whoever gets tapped as the next head coach has his work cut out for him.

Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

Mile High might feel very low for Denver Broncos head coach Vance Joseph—emphasis on "might." While Glazer reported on Sunday morning that he expects Joseph to be fired, Rapoport has offered the possibility that Joseph returns for a third season.

The Broncos remained in playoff contention until a Week 15 loss to the Browns. Even so, Joseph has been slammed multiple times through the season for conservative approaches in crucial moments, such as that must-win game against Cleveland.

Joe Philbin, Green Bay Packers

Mike Roemer/Associated Press

What a disaster in Green Bay. The NFL's only publicly owned franchise, if it were up to the fans holding shares in the team, everybody might be fired. But as it stands, interim head coach Joe Philbin is the only man in question.

Philbin stepped in for Mike McCarthy, who was fired after Week 13. McCarthy had brought a Super Bowl to the organization but way back in 2011. Since then, there has been near-constant chatter about whether McCarthy was doing everything he could to maximize quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Philbin, who served as head coach in Miami from 2012 to 2015, is expected to "receive a head-coach interview, but it would be a surprise if he received the full-time job," according to Rapoport.

With Rodgers at 35 years old, Green Bay needs a coach to step in and turn things around quickly. The Packers finished 2018 at 6-9-1 and missed the postseason for the second season in a row.

John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens

Harry How/Getty Images

First off, the Ravens announced on Dec. 21 that head coach John Harbaugh would return for 2019 and the team was working on an extension to his existing contract.

However, Harbaugh is still a hot commodity, which is why Glazer has reported that "there are teams right now that are having internal discussions about calling the Ravens to try to trade for John Harbaugh."

Harbaugh has been head coach in Baltimore since 2008 and has a 104-72 regular-season record plus 10-5 in the playoffs—winning the Super Bowl in the 2012 season.

By holding on to beat the Browns on Sunday, the Ravens clinched the AFC North and will return to the postseason for the first time since 2014.