- Black Monday has already started and a number of NFL coaches have lost their jobs
- Ron Rivera and Arthur Smith have already been fired and more will follow
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
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Black Monday has arrived in the NFL, as some ruthless owners prepare to make many ruthless changes to their coaching staffs.
The day after the final week of regular season games concludes is always a carousel of coaching changes as teams almost immediately begin preparing for next season.
On Monday, Ron Rivera was fired by the Washington Commanders and Arthur Smith lost his job with the Atlanta Falcons.
Black Monday began almost immediately after midnight when the Falcons announced they had parted ways with Smith after his team lost 48-17 to the Saints on Sunday.
The Falcons finished the season 7-10. All three years under Smith, Atlanta finished with the same record and missed the playoffs.
Ron Rivera has been fired by the commanders and Arthur Smith has lost his job in Atlanta
The news of Smith's firing broke just 38 minutes after the Bills' game against the Dolphins, the final game of the NFL regular season.
Rivera and the Commanders, meanwhile, finished the season with a miserable 4-13 record, losing 38-10 to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday to close out the campaign.
Rivera, who turned 62 on Sunday, is leaving after four seasons. General manager Martin Mayhew and a majority of the front office and coaching staff are also expected to leave.
Elsewhere in the NFL, the spotlight is firmly on Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots, with the six-time Super Bowl winner's position under immense scrutiny.
Their 4-13 record is the worst in Belichick's 29-year NFL coaching career. Sunday's loss to the New York Jets also marked the 178th of Belichick's career, including the playoffs, tying him with Tom Landry for the most ever.
But he insisted it hasn't taken away his desire to be on the sidelines.
'No, I enjoy coaching. Disappointing season… That's how I feel,” Belichick said. 'The results were not good. None of us were happy about that.'
The spotlight is mainly on Bill Belichick's position as coach of the New England Patriots
Belichick and owner Robert Kraft are expected to meet Monday to discuss the coach's future with the franchise.
Kraft will have to decide whether to part ways with Belichick, only the third coach to work for him since purchasing the team in 1994.
With 333 wins, Belichick is currently 14 wins away from tying Hall of Fame coach Don Shula's record of 347, including the playoffs.
There is also uncertainty surrounding Matt Eberflus' job with the Chicago Bears and Dennis Allen's position with the New Orleans Saints.
Currently there are head coaching vacancies with the Los Angeles Chargers, Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, Falcons and Commanders.
However, it's not just the head coaches who are on the chopping block.
The Panthers fired their GM Scott Fitterer on Monday. It comes after David Tepper also suspended coach Frank Reich after just 11 games.
Meanwhile, the New York Giants have fired both special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey and offensive line coach Bobby Johnson.