Kliff Kingsbury, Lovie Smith, Joe Woods among the early firings
“The day after” is what many call the Monday immediately following the end of the NFL regular season and it is typically a tough day to be a coach. Teams have their exit meetings and assess what to do heading into the next season to have the best chance to compete for a Super Bowl victory. For some teams, that means a fresh start and we’ll update this post as more news breaks today and throughout the week.
Cardinals fire Kliff Kingsbury
One of those teams is the Arizona Cardinals, who fired head coach Kliff Kingsbury just 10 months after signing him to a contract extension that ran through the 2027 season. Kingsbury and the Cardinals just completed a 4-13 season and his four-year tenure ends with a record of 28-37-1 and a loss in the team’s lone playoff game.
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Not only was Kingsbury’s let go, but GM Steve Keim announced he is stepping away to focus on his health, so major changes are coming in Arizona.
Kyler Murray will likely miss the early part of the 2023 season recovering from a torn ACL, so we’ll see how his rehab goes and how the Cardinals attempt to set him up for success after regressing in a big way from his 2021 season.
Texans fire Lovie Smith
Houston’s win over Indianapolis cost a Circa Survivor finalist a piece of the $6 million top prize, but it also may have cost Lovie Smith his job. The Texans didn’t even wait until the next day to fire Lovie, as they sent him packing on Sunday night before the final regular season game was even completed. He is the second straight one-and-done coach for the Texans, who are just a mess of a franchise at this point in time.
Smith was 3-13-1 this past season after being elevated from defensive coordinator to head coach. The 64-year-old had not been a head coach since 2015 and was 8-24 in two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He wasn’t exactly set up for success here, but we’ll see who the Texans decide to hire and which quarterback from the 2023 NFL Draft he’ll get to work with. Some believe that former Texans QB Josh McCown, who was a finalist in last year’s interview process, will get the job.
Michael Lombardi shared his thoughts on the Kingsbury and Smith firings on Monday’s edition of The Lombardi Line.
Browns fire Joe Woods
The Browns defense improved statistically as the season went along, but bad weather had a lot to do with that. The drama on the defensive side of the ball continued into Week 18, as Jadeveon Clowney was sent home for comments he made in the lead-up to the game against the Steelers. On Monday, it all came to a head with defensive coordinator Joe Woods given a pink slip.
The Browns had “communication issues” early in the season and they’ve squandered a lot of high draft picks in the secondary while placing a ton of emphasis on fixing the defense. There’s been talent back there, but it hasn’t been maximized.
Cleveland has requested an interview with Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, so they’re looking to move quickly to fill the vacancy.
Falcons DC Dean Pees retires
Dean Pees, who surprisingly took on the Falcons defensive coordinator job after leaving the Titans, has officially retired. The 73-year-old was never a head coach, but spent 14 yards as a defensive coordinator with the Ravens, Titans and Falcons. Atlanta had one of the league’s worst defenses, so they’ll cast a far net with their search and likely invest in that side of the ball over the offseason.
Head coach Arthur Smith did a fine job with the offense and had one of the league’s better rushing attacks. Some hard questions will have to be asked about QB Desmond Ridder this offseason, but the defense is in dire need of help.
Rams OC Liam Coen goes back to school
As the Rams wait to find out if Sean McVay wants to continue coaching, they’ve lost their offensive coordinator. Liam Coen has returned to Kentucky, where he was a very successful OC in 2021 and has been credited with the development of Will Levis into a likely top-10 draft pick. The Rams offense was among the worst in the NFL for most of the season on Coen’s watch, but it still means more turnover for a Rams team that could be in line for a tumultuous offseason.
