As the 2019 NFL regular season nears its conclusion, the hours tick down until “Black Monday” in the NFL. It’s the day when several head coaches will join Ron Rivera and Jay Gruden on the NFL’s unemployment line. While plenty of shakeup is expected, one head coach is an overwhelming favorite to be fired.
As part of their betting lines for Week 17, SportsBetting.ag lists Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett (-500) as the likeliest head coach to be fired with an 83.3% implied probability that he is terminated.
While the Cowboys’ playoff hopes are still technically alive – they need a win on Sunday and the Philadelphia Eagles to lose to the New York Giants – it’s always seemed a near certainty that Garrett is fired. Despite having plenty of talent on the roster, a loss in Week 17 would mark the second time the team failed to reach the playoffs in two years.
Coincidentally, a win by the Eagles in Week 17 could lead to Garrett’s firing along with another termination. Giants head coach Pat Shurmur (-175) is also a betting favorite to be let go after the season.
Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens (-150), Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn (-150) and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone (-200) are also among the odds-on favorites to be fired before Week 1 of the 2020 season.
Marrone might be a surprise favorite to keep his job, though, following a report on Sunday that there’s a good chance he returns along with general manager Dave Caldwell.
One thing is for sure, changes are coming on Monday. While we don’t know which head coaches will be fired, it’s only a matter of time before several are cleaning out their offices. Given the wealth of excellent candidates available this offseason, it’s hard to blame teams that make a change.