The 2024 NFL regular season is in the books, and soon all eyes will be on the 14 teams heading to the playoffs, beginning with this upcoming weekend’s wild-card round. Before then, the teams on the outside looking will likely be making headlines.
Last season, nearly a quarter of the NFL’s franchises had head coaching turnover. What does 2025 hold for teams that are looking for a fresh start, besides their favorable draft position? Here’s a quick glance at the current vacancies:
Las Vegas Raiders: Antonio Pierce still has his job. As far as he knows, at least. The Las Vegas Raiders head coach told reporters at his Monday news conference that he hasn’t “heard anything different” regarding his job status on the heels of a 4-13 campaign featuring more than its share of turmoil. Team owner Mark Davis had not addressed the Raiders’ coaching job as of the time of Pierce’s news conference.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Jags owner Shad Khan released a statement Monday announcing the firing of Doug Pederson, a move that had been expected since the middle of the season. The 4-13 Jaguars started 2024 with a four-game losing streak, then lost five straight games from Week 8 through 13 while QB Trevor Lawrence had another injury-filled season. While Pederson has been fired, general manager Trent Baalke will remain in place.
New England Patriots: The Patriots now need a new head coach after firing Jerod Mayo right after their Week 18 victory over the Bills, which meant they lost out on the No. 1 overall pick. With Drake Maye in place, it’s an attractive opening, as much as the rest of the roster needs work. Team owner Robert Kraft will presumably have more patience with the next hire than Mayo, a former Patriots player who lasted just one season replacing Bill Belichick.
New Orleans Saints: Dennis Allen was fired on Nov. 4 after a seventh straight loss that evaporated a strong 2-0 start. Allen went 18-25 in three seasons in New Orleans and failed to make the postseason. Darren Rizzi finished the 2024 campaign 5-12. Whoever takes the reins faces a rebuild amid the Saints’ usual salary-cap headaches and uncertainty at the QB position.
New York Jets: This is one of the messier positions in the league as the franchise is also looking for a general manager. The club fired head coach Robert Saleh on Oct. 8 after starting 2-3 and GM Joe Douglas was dismissed six weeks later. While the team has begun interviews, it’s unclear whether QB Aaron Rodgers will be part of the new regime. Mike Vrabel reportedly interviewed for the job last week, along with Ron Rivera. ESPN analyst Louis Riddick interviewed for the GM position.
Chicago Bears: The Bears made history by firing their head coach in-season for the first time, with Thomas Brown taking over as the team was amid a 10-game losing streak that ended with a win over the Packers in the season finale. Whoever replaces Matt Eberflus will be charged primarily with getting No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams on track after a rocky rookie season.
The list of head coach openings could grow in the coming days, but the New York Giants will not be looking for new leadership. Team co-owner John Mara announced Monday that head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen will remain in place for the 2025 season. However, the Dallas Cowboys (Mike McCarthy) may be among the teams that could make a change at head coach.
As for the teams that will turn their attention to playoff preparation over the next two weeks, here’s a look at next weekend’s matchups.
Follow along with Yahoo Sports as the NFL turns the page from the regular season to the playoffs.
Live25 updates
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Jaguars fire head coach Doug Pederson, but retain GM Trent Baalke
The Jaguars fired head coach Doug Pederson on Monday following an overtime loss to the Colts in Week 18 and a 4-13 season overall. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) After a rough 4-13 season, the Jaguars have fired head coach Doug Pederson. But general manager Trent Baalke will stay in his position
“I strongly believe it is possible next season to restore the winning environment we had here not long ago,” owner Shad Khan said in a statement. “I will collaborate with general manager Trent Baalke and others, within and close to our organization, to hire a leader who shares my ambition and is ready to sieze the extraordinary opportunity we will offer in Jacksonville.”
Click here to read more about Pederson’s firing and his difficult tenure in Jacksonville.
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Who should replace Jerod Mayo in New England?
Jerod Mayo was one and done as the Patriots head coach. Here are eight candidates, starting with Mike Vrabel, who could replace him.
Click the photo to read more about who should replace Jerod Mayo in New England. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) -
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