What NFL Coaches Got Fired This Season?

It’s that time of year again. The NFL season is coming to an end, and that means that some coaches will be getting the boot. Here’s a look at the coaches who are on the hot seat and could be getting fired this season.

NFL Coaches Who Were Fired This Season

There were a number of NFL coaches who were fired this season. Some of them were fired mid-season, while others were let go after the season ended. Here is a list of all the NFL coaches who were fired this season.

Hue Jackson- Cleveland Browns

Hue Jackson was let go by the Browns on October 29, 2018, after compiling a 3–36–1 record in two-and-a-half seasons with the team. Jackson was hired by the Browns in 2016, and led the team to a 1–15 record that year, the worst record in franchise history. The Browns improved to 4–12 in 2017 under Jackson, but regressed in 2018, going 2–5-1 through eight games.

Dirk Koetter- Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Dirk Koetter was born on February 5, 1959, in Pocatello, Idaho. He played college football at Idaho State University before beginning his coaching career at his alma mater as a graduate assistant in 1985. He held various offensive coordinator positions at Boise State University, the University of Arizona and Virginia Tech before being hired as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2016. Despite starting off his first season with a 9-7 record, the Buccaneers fired Koetter after he posted a combined record of 13-18 over the next two seasons.

Vance Joseph- Denver Broncos

Vance Joseph was fired by the Denver Broncos on Monday after two seasons in charge.

Joseph, 47, went 11-21 with the Broncos, who missed the playoffs both years. He was hired in 2017 to replace Gary Kubiak, who retired because of health concerns.

The Broncos finished 6-10 this season, their worst record since 2010. They were eliminated from playoff contention with a loss to the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.

Joseph was hired by the Broncos after four seasons as the defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins. He also served as a defensive assistant with the San Francisco 49ers (2005-10) and Houston Texans (2011-13).

Steve Wilks- Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals fired Wilks after just one season. They finished with a 3-13 record, which was the worst in the NFL. Arizona also had the worst offense in the league, averaging only 14 points per game. Wilks was previously the defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers.

Reasons For Their Firing

As we know, the NFL is a very competitive league. In order to be the best, teams need to make sure they have the best coaches. Unfortunately, not all coaches are up to par and end up getting fired. In this article, we will be discussing some of the coaches that got fired this season and the reasons why.

Hue Jackson- 3-36-1 record in 2+ seasons

It was abundantly clear that the Browns were never going to win with Hue Jackson at the helm. In his two-plus seasons with the team, he posted a record of 3-36-1, which is atrocious by any standards. It’s even more inexcusable when you consider that the Browns had the No. 1 overall pick in both the 2017 and 2018 NFL Drafts. Jackson also had a propensity for making some very puzzling decisions, such as naming himself the team’s offensive coordinator midway through last season. Ultimately, it was just time for a change in Cleveland, and that’s why Jackson was shown the door.

Dirk Koetter- Missed playoffs in 3 of 4 seasons

Dirk Koetter was relieved of his duties as the Buccaneers head coach after they missed the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. In his six seasons with the team, he compiled a record of 46-42.

The Buccaneers finished the season 7-9, losing nine of their last 11 games. In those 11 games, they were outscored by 119 points. They blew four fourth-quarter leads and lost six games by seven points or fewer.

Koetter was hired by the Buccaneers in 2016 to replace Lovie Smith, who was fired after going 8-24 in two seasons. He led the team to a 9-7 record in his first season, but they missed the playoffs.

In 2017, the Buccaneers finished 5-11 and last in the NFC South. They rebounded in 2018 and went 10-6, but they missed the playoffs again. This past season, they took a step back and failed to make the postseason for the third time in four years under Koetter.

Vance Joseph- 11-21 record in 2 seasons

The Broncos went from a playoff team to one of the worst in the NFL in just two years, and Vance Joseph is paying the price. Joseph was let go on Monday after posting an 11-21 record in his two seasons as head coach. The Broncos finished this season with a 6-10 record, their worst since 2010.

Joseph’s firing comes as no surprise, as he was widely expected to be on the hot seat entering the 2018 season. The Broncos got off to a 2-4 start this season, but they won four of their last six games to finish above .500. However, that wasn’t enough to save Joseph’s job.

The Broncos will now begin their search for a new head coach, and they are expected to target candidates with experience in turnaround situations.

Steve Wilks- 3-13 record in 1 season

The Arizona Cardinals fired Steve Wilks after just one season, in which he posted a 3-13 record. It was the second consecutive year the Cardinals had made a coaching change, having replaced Bruce Arians with Wilks.

How Will These Teams Fare Next Season?

The NFL regular season is now over, and we know which teams will be moving on to the playoffs and which teams will be going home. But we also now know which coaches will be looking for new jobs. Here are the coaches who were fired this season and how their teams might fare next season without them.

Cleveland Browns- New head coach Freddie Kitchens

Cleveland Browns- New head coach Freddie Kitchens
The Cleveland Browns have had an interesting offseason to say the least. They fired their previous head coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley midway through last season, which led to the promotion of Gregg Williams to interim head coach. After the season, Williams was not retained as head coach and the Browns elected to hire Freddie Kitchens as their new head coach. Kitchens was the Browns’ interim offensive coordinator for the final eight games of last season. Under his guidance, the Browns offense improved from 27th in points per game in 2017 to 7th in 2018. The question now is can he carry that success over to next season and turn the Browns into a playoff team?

The Browns have made some significant changes to their coaching staff this offseason. They hired Steve Wilks as their new defensive coordinator, who previously served in that role with the Carolina Panthers. Wilks replaces Gregg Williams, who was not retained by the team. The Browns also hired Todd Monken as their new offensive coordinator. Monken spent the last three seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He replaces Freddie Kitchens, who was promoted to head coach after last season.

The Browns made some splashy moves in free agency, signing wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., running back Kareem Hunt, and defensive end Olivier Vernon. They also used their first-round draft pick on defensive end Nick Bosa. With all of these additions, the expectation is that the Browns will be a playoff team next season. However, there are some concerns that need to be addressed before they can be considered a legitimate contender.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers- New head coach Bruce Arians

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a new head coach this season, Bruce Arians. He is known as a “quarterback whisperer” and has helped develop some of the game’s best quarterbacks. He will be tasked with helping quarterback Jameis Winston take the next step in his development. The Bucs have talent on both sides of the ball and should be a playoff contender next season.

Denver Broncos- New head coach Vic Fangio

Next season will be Vic Fangio’s first as an NFL head coach, and he inherits a Broncos team that went 6-10 in 2018.
Fangio has been an NFL assistant coach for 32 years, including the past four as the Chicago Bears’ defensive coordinator. He has never been a head coach at any level.
The Broncos finished third in the NFL in total defense and sixth in points allowed last season. They have finished in the top 10 in total defense in each of Fangio’s four seasons as their coordinator.

Arizona Cardinals- New head coach Kliff Kingsbury

Under first-year head coach Kliff Kingsbury, the Cardinals finished with a 5-10-1 record in 2019. Despite their poor record, the Cardinals were competitive in many of their games and Kingsbury was able to get the most out of rookie quarterback Kyler Murray. With another year of experience under their belt, the Cardinals could surprise some people and make a run at a playoff spot in 2020.