What NFL Coaches Were Fired This Year?
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It’s that time of year again: NFL coaches are getting fired. Here’s a list of all the coaches who were let go this year.
NFL Coaches Fired in 2020
It’s that time of year again. The NFL season has come to an end and a new one is about to begin. That means that it’s also time for some NFL coaches to be fired. Here are the NFL coaches who were fired this year.
Bill O’Brien- Houston Texans
In 2020, the Houston Texans relieved Bill O’Brien of his duties as both the team’s general manager and head coach. This came after a 0-4 start to the season, which included a blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens. O’Brien had been with the Texans since 2014 and led them to a 52-48 record during his time with the team.
Adam Gase- New York Jets
Adam Gase was fired as the New York Jets’ head coach on December 28, 2020, after two seasons with the team. Gase had a record of 9-23 with the Jets, and the team failed to make the playoffs during his tenure.
Gase was hired by the Jets in 2019, after having served as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins for three seasons. Gase compiled a record of 23-25 with the Dolphins, and led the team to the playoffs in 2016.
Gase’s firing came after a disappointing 2020 season for the Jets, who finished with a record of 2-14. The Jets lost their final nine games of the season, and Gase was widely criticized for his handling of the team’s offense.
In addition to Gase, several other NFL coaches were fired following the 2020 season, including Matt Patricia of the Detroit Lions and Bill O’Brien of the Houston Texans.
Matt Patricia- Detroit Lions
Patricia was fired on Saturday, November 28, 2020, after a loss to the Houston Texans. This was Patricia’s third season as the head coach of the Lions. He had a 13-29-1 record.
Mike Zimmer- Minnesota Vikings
Zimmer was hired by the Vikings in 2014 and led the team to a NFC North title in 2015, his second season. The Vikings made the playoffs in each of Zimmer’s first three seasons but have not been back since 2017. They finished 10-6 this season but lost in the wild-card round to the San Francisco 49ers.
Zimmer has a career record of 61-41-1 with the Vikings.
Why Were These NFL Coaches Fired?
There were a total of five NFL coaches fired this year. They are: Hue Jackson of the Cleveland Browns, Vance Joseph of the Denver Broncos, Dirk Koetter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Adam Gase of the Miami Dolphins, and Steve Wilks of the Arizona Cardinals. Let’s take a look at why each of these coaches were let go.
Bill O’Brien- Houston Texans
O’Brien was fired after an 0-4 start to the 2020 season. This came as a surprise to many, as the Texans had made the playoffs in each of the previous two seasons under O’Brien’s leadership. However, the team lost several key players during the offseason, including star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, and they struggled to replace them. Additionally, O’Brien was heavily criticized for his decision to trade away star quarterback DeShaun Watson earlier in the year.
Adam Gase- New York Jets
Adam Gase was fired by the New York Jets after just two seasons. In his two seasons with the Jets, Gase compiled a record of 9-23. The Jets made it clear that they wanted to move in a different direction after back-to-back losing seasons.
Matt Patricia- Detroit Lions
Patricia had a disappointing debut season in Detroit, leading the Lions to a 6-10 record and last place in the NFC North. The Lions struggled on both sides of the ball, ranking 27th in points scored and 23rd in points allowed. Patricia was also hampered by several high-profile off-field incidents, including a sexual assault allegation from 1996 that resurfaced during the season.
Mike Zimmer- Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings have fired head coach Mike Zimmer after six seasons, the team announced on Wednesday.
“The Minnesota Vikings have relieved Head Coach Mike Zimmer of his duties,” the team said in a statement. “We would like to thank Mike for his many contributions to our organization and wish him all the best in the future.”
Zimmer, 65, was hired by the Vikings in 2014 and led the team to a 6-10 record that year. He then guided them to back-to-back NFC North titles in 2015 and 2016, but the team has missed the playoffs each of the past three seasons.
This past season, the Vikings went 7-9 and finished third in the NFC North. Zimmer’s contract was set to expire after next season.
Who Will Be the Next NFL Coaches Fired?
Even though it’s only week six of the NFL season, we’ve already seen a handful of coaches get the axe. Steve Wilks of the Arizona Cardinals, Vance Joseph of the Denver Broncos, and Adam Gase of the Miami Dolphins have all been fired. So, who’s next? Here are some of the coaches who could be on the hot seat.
Jason Garrett- Dallas Cowboys
Jason Garrett is in his tenth season as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. He has a career record of 85-67 and has led the Cowboys to three division titles and two playoff appearances. Garrett’s contract expires at the end of the 2019 season, and he is reportedly not expected to return.
Dan Quinn- Atlanta Falcons
Dan Quinn was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2015 to 2020. He was fired on October 12, 2020, after a 0–5 start to the season.
In Quinn’s first season as head coach, the Falcons finished with a record of 8–8. The following year, the team made it all the way to Super Bowl LI, where they faced off against the New England Patriots. The Falcons held a 28–3 lead late in the third quarter, but ultimately lost in overtime by a score of 34–28.
Quinn’s Falcons made it back to the playoffs in 2017 with a 10–6 record, but they were defeated in the divisional round by the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. The team then missed the playoffs in 2018 with a 7–9 record. In 2019, the Falcons once again posted a losing record of 7–9.
Prior to his firing, Quinn had compiling a career record of 43–42 as head coach of the Falcons.
Doug Marrone- Jacksonville Jaguars
Doug Marrone was fired by the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 18, 2020, after only two seasons with the team. In his two years as head coach, Marrone had a record of 12-20 and never made the playoffs.
Marrone was let go partially because of the team’s poor performance, but also because of conflicts with Jaguars owner Shad Khan. Khan was reportedly unhappy with Marrone’s decision to start rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew over veteran Nick Foles, and the two reportedly had a “heated discussion” about the matter in September.
It’s unclear who will replace Marrone as head coach of the Jaguars, but defensive coordinator Todd Wash is considered the leading candidate.
Anthony Lynn- Los Angeles Chargers
Lynn was hired in 2017 to replace Mike McCoy and has a record of 23-21 in three seasons. The Chargers made the playoffs in his first season, but they haven’t been back since. They’ve also missed the playoffs each of the past two years despite having one of the league’s best quarterbacks in Philip Rivers. Lynn is reportedly on the hot seat heading into 2020 and could be one of the first coaches fired if Los Angeles gets off to a slow start.
