NEW YORK (AP) — OK, it is done.
Rex Ryan and John Idzik are out with the Jets. The Bears canned Marc Trestman and Phil Emery. Mike Smith was fired in Atlanta.
It wasn’t as bloody as some past Black Mondays, but the ax swung swiftly on them. Throw in the two coaching openings in the Bay Area, and there’s plenty of searching ahead for team owners in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco and Oakland.
What should they look for and who might fit the bill? Let’s look.
NEW YORK JETS
New York needs to solve its quarterback woes first, particularly because there is some talent elsewhere on offense. It should seek a head coach or offensive coordinator who has a history of success grooming QBs.
ATLANTA
FALCONS
Smith’s tenure hardly was a flop. His 66 wins in seven seasons are the most for any Falcons coach, including five straight winning seasons; the Falcons never had even two successive winning records before he arrived.
But Arthur Blank, considered one of the better owners in the league, not only saw a 10-22 record in 2013-2014, but the no-show against Carolina on Sunday.
CHICAGO BEARS
This one is a total mess, in some ways similar to the Jets’ situation. The biggest issue is leadership, and that permeates the entire organization.
Emery committing to quarterback Jay Cutler for seven years and putting the team on the hook for $54 million guaranteed ($36 million remaining) has become an albatross for the organization.
OAKLAND
RAIDERS
Raiders owner Mark Davis would like to make a big splash, and was enamored of the idea of persuading Jim Harbaugh to cross the Bay. Barring that, and with the coordinator promotion route not working since Jon Gruden left, look for Davis to go after a well-known coach who also could get personnel control.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Given the discord that helped ruin a talented team’s season — as did injuries — GM Trent Baalke and CEO Jed York might be in the market for someone less independent.
For continuity, the Niners could opt for promoting popular line coach Jim Tomsula, a loyal soldier.