Building on the six head coaching firings from Black Monday (January 5, 2026)—detailed in our initial report—Sky Sports NFL's Neil Reynolds shares insights amid a set playoff field, with the Seattle Seahawks topping power rankings after clinching the NFC's No. 1 seed.
The coaching carousel spun rapidly after the 2025 NFL regular season, with non-playoff teams like the Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, and New York Giants parting ways with their head coaches, as covered previously.
Analyst Neil Reynolds highlighted surprises, such as the Falcons' move on Raheem Morris and GM Terry Fontenot despite a late four-game winning streak (eliminated December 7), tied to concerns over second-year QB Michael Penix Jr.'s development. Former Falcons QB Matt Ryan is poised to join as President of Football Operations.
Raiders owner dismissed 74-year-old Pete Carroll after a 3-14 disaster—Las Vegas' worst record and their eighth season-opening coach since 2010—leaving a quarterback vacuum and high 2026 draft pick, with Tom Brady's input likely.
Browns ousted two-time Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski, whose offensive schemes could shine elsewhere despite QB woes. Cardinals axed Jonathan Gannon after a 2-0 start crumbled into 14 losses over the final 15 games.
In-season changes included Titans firing Brian Callahan post-1-6 start (3-14 finish), where rookie Cam Ward progressed under interim Mike McCoy, and Giants dumping Brian Daboll after 2-8 (4-13 end), featuring promising QB Jaxson Dart.
As teams regroup, power rankings crown the Seahawks No. 1 league-wide following their 13-3 domination of the San Francisco 49ers to secure the NFC's top seed. Denver Broncos lead the AFC but sit fourth overall, priming an unpredictable postseason.
