Commanders fire Ron Rivera, Arthur Smith out in Atlanta

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The first domino in the Black Monday NFL coaching cycle fell Sunday night.

The Atlanta Falcons fired head coach Arthur Smith, the team confirmed. Smith finished 7-10 for the third straight season, with an overall record of 21-30 as Falcons head coach and no playoff appearances.

Following Smith in the coaching firing cycle was the Washington Commanders’ Ron Rivera, who was dismissed Monday.

Under Rivera, the Commanders won the NFC East with a 7-9 record in 2020. They never improved after that, going 7-10 in 2021, 8-8-1 in 2022 and 2023 was even worse at 4-13.

Who else will join Smith and Rivera looking for a new job? Three other head coaches had previously been fired this season: the Las Vegas Raiders‘ Josh McDaniels, the Carolina Panthers‘ Frank Reich and Los Angeles Chargers‘ Brandon Staley. Additionally, two general managers, the Raiders’ Dave Ziegler and the Chargers’ Tom Telesco, were also let go.

Keep up with all the changes in some of the NFL’s top jobs right here with Yahoo Sports.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 15: Head coach Ron Rivera of the Washington Commanders and head coach Arthur Smith of the Atlanta Falcons hug after Washington's 24-16 win at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 15, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Head coach Ron Rivera of the Washington Commanders and head coach Arthur Smith of the Atlanta Falcons hug after Washington’s 24-16 win at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Oct. 15, 2023 in Atlanta. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Live16 updates

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    Special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey and offensive line coach Bobby Johnson have both been fired.

    Running backs coach Jeff Nixon has been hired by Syracuse to be their offensive coordinator.

    Strength and conditioning coach Craig Fitzgerald was hired by Florida.

    There are two coaches who (probably) aren’t leaving. Daboll said he expects offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale to return in 2024.

  • Panthers fire GM Scott Fitterer

    The Carolina Panthers already fired their head coach Frank Reich back in November, so there was only one other guy left to fire on Black Monday.

    That guy is general manager Scott Fitterer. The Panthers announced his firing Monday morning after three years in the organization.

  • Commanders fire Ron Rivera after 4 seasons

    The Washington Commanders wasted no time Monday morning making a big change. They fired Ron Rivera after four years as head coach and zero winning seasons.

    Rivera and the Commanders had progressed, albeit slowly, over the first three years he was in Washington. But with the team under new ownership this season, Rivera had to make a statement to show why he deserved to stay in the job. Instead, the feeble Commanders could produce just four wins.

    To help dig the team out of the hole they’re now in, the Commanders also announced they have hired former Golden State Warriors general manager and two-time NBA executive of the year Bob Myers to help run the team.

  • What’s next for Bill Belichick and the Patriots?

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    Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein was on site in Foxborough on Sunday, where Belichick confirmed he’ll meet with Patriots team owner Robert Kraft later this week — but offered nothing more.

    The biggest coaching domino of the offseason is arguably Belichick, who’s won six Super Bowls as New England head coach and built the greatest dynasty in NFL history. The entire league awaits what’s next.

  • Falcons fire Arthur Smith after another 7-10, playoff-less season

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    Smith spent three seasons in charge and finished 7-10 in each one of them, with no playoff appearances and an array of skill talent that left people wanting more out of the Falcons’ offense.

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    After some discussion, McVay decided to return. And with his recommitment, the Rams returned to their old ways. The 37-year-old also enjoyed a huge win off the field with the birth of his first child, a son, in October.

    Considering the marked improvement this season, host J.B. Long decided to ask the show’s namesake if viewers could expect him back.

    “That I can promise you,” McVay told Long.

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    The Bears hammered a playoff hopeful Falcons team 37-17 in Week 17, and quarterback Justin Fields has been playing well since his return from injury under Eberflus. Chicago is 7-9 and will miss the playoffs, but the franchise has to decide if what Eberflus and Fields have shown the second half of this season is worth investing in going forward — or if they should use the No. 1 overall pick on North Carolina’s Drake Maye or USC’s Caleb Williams, and go in a different direction at head coach.

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  • After 42-point loss, there was no way for Chargers to move forward with Brandon Staley

    Keeping Brandon Staley as head coach after being dominated and embarrassed by the Raiders on “Thursday Night Football” was simply untenable, writes Yahoo Sports’ Charles McDonald

  • Chargers fire head coach Brandon Staley, GM Tom Telesco

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  • Will Panthers owner David Tepper avoid making same mistakes in hiring next head coach?

    Panthers team owner David Tepper is notoriously meddlesome. Here’s what he needs to avoid to help get the next head coaching hire right

  • Panthers fire head coach Frank Reich 11 games into first season in Carolina

    The Carolina Panthers fired head coach Frank Reich on Nov. 27, ending his second stint as an NFL head coach after just 11 games.

  • Josh McDaniels reportedly ‘a shell of himself’ at brutal team meeting before Raiders firing

    Former Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels was reportedly “a shell of himself” during a brutal team meeting right before his firing

  • Raiders fire head coach Josh McDaniels, GM Dave Ziegler

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