I'm not sure if there is any clearinghouse for coach-firing stats, but I count seven NFL head coaches who are now unemployed that were working this weekend; that feels like a record. Normally, the Turk only gets kind of workout in August when players get cut from training camp. Most will be back in some capacity, as the NFL is good about not enforcing the Peter Principle and putting folks who are good coordinators but not good head coaches back down a notch.
In a couple of cases, you have good coaches in a cold streak in Andy Reid and Lovie Smith. Both Reid and Smith have winning records overall and made trips to the Super Bowl; Smith and Tony Dungy were the first black coaches to make it to the Super Bowl back in 2007. Smith got canned despite going 10-6 and being a tie-breaker away from a wild-card spot, but a 2-5 dive after a 7-1 start was awkward.
Reid might benefit from a year off, given his issues over losing a son tragically. However, he's been rumored to have been on the phone lining up a staff for a new gig in one of the other six slots; Chicago might not be a bad fit for him.
The interesting piece to the coaching merry-go-round is Chip Kelly of Oregon. Would he be interested in making a shot at the NFL and giving his spread attack a try at the top level? If that's the case, Kelly might be an interesting replacement for Reid in Philly if the Eagles brass want to keep Michael Vick; you might want a good option-ready backup (paging Tim Tebow) since Vick has not been the healthiest QB, but Vick and Kelly would be a lethal combination if Vick is healthy and with the program.
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