2021 NFL Draft: Five head coaches who will be fired before the draft
By Kyle Edmond
There have already been two head coaches let go this season, but who else could be fired before the 2021 NFL Draft takes place?
The NFL season is only five weeks old, but we already know that the Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons will have new head coaches and general managers next year, as well as during the 2021 NFL Draft.
After beginning 0-4, the Texans let Bill O’Brien go, creating an opening at both GM and head coach. Currently, Romeo Crennel is serving as the interim and was able to capture a win in his first game. This marks the third time Crennel has been a head coach, and the second as an interim.
The Atlanta Falcons also made a change, firing both Head Coach Dan Quinn and General Manager Thomas Dimitroff after an 0-5 start to the 2020 season. The Falcons called on Raheem Morris to step up who will have his first game this coming weekend. Morris was previously the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009-2011, going 17-31, including a 10-6 season in 2010.
With O’Brien and Quinn both out, the Texans and Falcons will get a head start on the process of selecting their next coach, which could lead to other teams making mid-season moves as well to ensure they don’t fall too far behind Houston and Atlanta.
With the Texans capturing a win in week five, there are only three winless teams left in the league, being the Falcons, the Giants and the Jets. The Falcons already let Quinn go and the Giants are currently in their first season with Joe Judge.
In addition, there are nine teams with just one win, including the Texans. The Washington Football Team is currently in their first season with Ron Rivera, but the other seven teams all have coaches that have been there for multiple seasons now.
With so many teams struggling early, we could see a handful of teams join the Texans and Falcons by striking the slate clean now. This gives ample time to explore options and make a new hire as soon as the season ends, meaning more time to prepare as a front office for the 2021 NFL Draft.