Washington Commanders fire Ron Rivera
Ron Rivera was fired Monday as coach of the Washington Commanders, a long-anticipated move new owners made as they put their stamp on the NFL franchise they bought last year.
It’s just the first of several changes coming to an organization that has won just two playoff games over the past three decades. The fourth and final season under Rivera finished with eight consecutive losses, a 4-13 record and a 38-10 home loss to division-rival Dallas with Washington’s home stadium full of Cowboys fans.
“Clearly, we weren’t good enough this year,” controlling owner Josh Harris said at a news conference at the team’s practice facility. “We didn’t get it done on the field, and so we’ve decided to go into a new direction.”
Rivera’s firing came as no surprise to anyone, including the veteran coach who went 26-40-1 with Washington, including one playoff appearance in 2020 for finishing atop an uncharacteristically weak NFC East at 7-9 and never having a winning season.
If Rivera does not get another head coaching job in the league, he’ll finish exactly one game under .500 at 102-103-2 in the regular season.
“We did win an NFC East title in 2020, but we fell short since then, and for that, I am truly disappointed,” Rivera said in a statement released by the team. “It wasn’t easy and there is a lot more to be done, but I believe we began to change the culture of this organization in meaningful ways.”
Commanders ownership is bringing in outside help to work on the search for the team’s next coach and head of football operations.
Longtime NBA executive Bob Myers and former Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman will assist owners Josh Harris, Magic Johnson, Mitch Rales and David Blitzer. Harris, Washington’s controlling owner, said he’ll be personally involved in the interview and hiring steps.
Atlanta Falcons fire Arthur Smith
Arthur Smith was back at the Atlanta Falcons’ practice facility on Monday morning for a final meeting with his players after he was fired late Sunday night.
Smith had the support of the players but that was not enough to overcome a third consecutive 7-10 finish. The coaching change was announced at midnight, so Monday’s meeting was an opportunity to say goodbye.
“Most of us already knew,” rookie defensive lineman Zach Harrison said Monday. “Just having the chance for him to get up there and address us and tell us the last couple of things he wanted to say before he left. It meant a lot to me that he stood up there and looked us all in the eye and told us some things.”
Added Harrison: “He’s a guy you know is going to have your back.”
Said offensive tackle Kaleb McGary: “I’m just bummed for him.”
While Harrison acknowledged he was not prepared for the firing, most veterans were not surprised after back-to-back lopsided losses to Chicago and New Orleans capped a disappointing finish and left Atlanta with six consecutive losing seasons.
“I’ve been in this game a long time so I knew it was a possibility, but I was hopeful,” said Calais Campbell, 37, following his 16th NFL season. “I really respect Coach Smith. He’s such a good guy.”
Another veteran defensive lineman, Grady Jarrett, said he was “a little bit” surprised to learn Smith had been fired. “Only because it was like midnight or whatever,” Jarrett said. “You never know what to expect.”
Falcons owner Arthur Blank was expected to discuss the firing at a news conference later Monday.
Smith’s firing was announced a few hours after a 48-17 loss at New Orleans. It was the second-worst loss of Smith’s three seasons, following a 43-3 rout at Dallas in 2021. The Falcons dropped four of their last five games and were blown out in Smith’s final two contests, losing 37-17 at Chicago a week ago.
Carolina Panthers fire GM Scott Fitterer
The Carolina Panthers now need a head coach and a general manager.
The Panthers announced Monday they have fired GM Scott Fitterer one day after the team finished with an NFL-worst 2-15 record.
“As we move forward with the new direction for our franchise, I have made the decision that Scott Fitterer will no longer serve as our general manager,” Panthers owner David Tepper said in statement. “I appreciate Scott’s efforts and wish the best for him and his family.”
Fitterer joined the team in 2021 and the Panthers have gone 14-37 since. Tepper previously fired head coach Frank Reich just 11 games into his first season after the team started 1-10.
Fitterer did not immediately return text messages left by The Associated Press.
Fitterer orchestrated a trade with the Chicago Bears last year that allowed the Panthers to move to the No. 1 spot to get quarterback Bryce Young in exchange for wide receiver D.J. Moore and four draft picks — one of them that turned out to be the No. 1 overall pick in 2024.
That move hasn’t worked out well for the Panthers and has been widely criticized, particularly given the success of No. 2 overall pick and rookie of the year candidate C.J. Stroud, who has the Houston Texans headed to the playoffs in his first season.
Fitterer also swung a deal last year that sent the team’s best player, Christian McCaffrey, to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for draft picks, but none of them in the first round.
Two of Fitterer’s top free agent additions this past offseason — running back Miles Sanders and tight end Hayden Hurst — were major disappointments in 2023.
New York Giants fire special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey
he New York Giants fired special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey and offensive line coach Bobby Johnson on Monday, a day after the team finished a disappointing 6-11 season.
Coach Brian Daboll announced the decisions at the start of a postseason news conference. The second-year coach said offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale will be back next season.
Running back coach Jeff Nixon is leaving to become the offensive coordinator at Syracuse. Daboll said Nixon wants to become a college head coach.
The moves are not surprising. The Giants, who were looking to build off a rare trip to the playoffs last season, got off to a shaky start in a season of high expectations when Dallas blocked a 45-yard field goal attempt by Graham Gano and Noah Igbinoghene returned it 58 yards for a touchdown. Dallas won the game 40-0.
McGaughey was in his sixth year as the coordinator, serving under Pat Shurmur, Joe Judge and the last two under Daboll. He had an earlier stint with the Giants as assistant special teams coach under Tom Coughlin, winning two Super Bowls. He had a year left on his contract.
Belichick open to changes in responsibilities
Bill Belichick is open to letting someone else handle personnel duties if he remains with the New England Patriots.
The Patriots coach also confirmed Monday during his season-ending news conference that he remains under contract, though he didn’t specify the length of its current terms.
New England’s 17-3 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday cemented a 4-13 record for the Patriots, Belichick’s worst record in his 29-year NFL head coaching career. It’s left his status for next season up in the air as he prepares to meet with team owner Robert Kraft about his future. That meeting was expected to take place this week, possibly as early as today.
“I’m for whatever collectively we decide as an organization is the best thing to help our football team,” Belichick said during Monday’s video conference. “I’m under contract. I’m going to do what I always do, which is every day I come in, work as hard as I can to help the team in whatever way I can. So that’s what I’m going to continue to do.”
The details of Belichick’s contract have never been released publicly.
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As to possibly giving up his role as the team’s de facto general manager with final call on personnel matters, the 71-year-old Belichick said he is flexible if it benefits the organization.
“I have multiple roles in that. I rely on a lot of people to help me in those responsibilities,” Belichick said. “If somebody’s got to have the final say, I rely on a lot of other people to help. And, however that process is, I’m only part of it.”
But the ultimate decision on whether Belichick will have a chance to be part of what is certain to be the start of a massive rebuild this offseason falls on Kraft and his son, team president Jonathan Kraft.
