The NFL’s coaching carousel shows how thin the margin is between stability and upheaval — and why the Vikings can’t afford stagnation.
As fans, we can sometimes become so engulfed with our favorite team that we forget that other teams have issues, too. The Minnesota Vikings finished 9-8, which is disappointing, but not bad enough to warrant changes at key positions in the front office and coaching staff.
But the harsh reality of the NFL has been on full display since the regular season ended. Five teams have fired head coaches since Sunday, leaving seven total vacancies across the league (the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans fired Brian Daboll and Brian Callahan midseason).
Some of the terminations made sense. The Arizona Cardinals fired Jonathan Gannon after three losing seasons. Pete Carroll only lasted one season with the Las Vegas Raiders after going 3-14.
A case could be made for the Cleveland Browns to retain Kevin Stefanski, a two-time Coach of the Year winner. Perhaps Raheem Morris could have gotten one more chance after leading the Atlanta Falcons to a four-game win streak to end the season.
But then the Baltimore Ravens sent shockwaves through the league. They fired John Harbaugh after 18 seasons on Tuesday. The Ravens were eliminated from the playoffs when rookie kicker Tyler Loop missed a 44-yard field goal, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers 26-24.
Had Loop made the kick, Baltimore would be hosting the Houston Texans next Monday night. Instead, the Steelers will host the game, and Harbaugh can watch it from whatever hotel he's staying at as he searches for a new head coaching job.
Harbaugh went 180-113 in 18 seasons with the Ravens. He made the playoffs 12 times, winning Super Bowl XLVII following the 2012 season.
Yet all of his success didn't make him immune to the pressure. The Ravens stumbled to a 1-5 start, won five in a row, then faltered down the stretch, finishing the year 8-9 and failing to capitalize on the absence of Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Vikings have their own regrets with the 2025 season. Sam Darnold led the Seattle Seahawks to a 14-3 record and the NFC's No. 1 seed after Minnesota wasn't able to re-sign him.
Meanwhile, J.J. McCarthy struggled with accuracy and decision-making. Injuries kept him out of seven games, contributing to the Vikings' 29th-ranked passing attack.
Yet despite their struggles and having been eliminated from the postseason since Week 15, Minnesota finished only two games behind the Chicago Bears in the NFC North.
You don't need to look any further than the Vikings' Week 11 loss to the Bears to see the difference between playing this weekend and staying home. Minnesota took a 17-16 lead with 50 seconds left. However, instead of kicking the ball deep to force a touchback and set Chicago up at the 35-yard line, the Vikings opted to deliver a returnable ball.
But three players got out of position, and Bears returner Devin Duvernay sprinted 56 yards on the return to get to Minnesota's 40-yard line. Three plays later, Cairo Santos knocked in a 48-yard field goal.
The Vikings fell to 4-6, part of a four-game losing streak, while Chicago improved to 7-3, their third straight win and part of a five-game win streak.
Like the Ravens, Minnesota had an opportunity to change their postseason outcome. Unlike Baltimore, the Vikings are retaining head coach Kevin O'Connell.
But the pressure is mounting on O'Connell. He's won a lot of games in Minnesota, going 43-25 in four seasons and making the playoffs twice. But he has yet to win a postseason game in two attempts. Harbaugh went 13-11 in his 12 playoff years.
Winning next year can bide O'Connell some time. Going all the way and winning the Super Bowl would achieve unprecedented success in Minnesota.
But would it protect him forever? It's hard to tell. Harbaugh is the latest example of the NFL being a "what have you done for me lately?" job. A championship and long-term stability weren't enough to give him another chance to bounce back after narrowly missing the playoffs.
Baltimore's decision to move on from Harbaugh doesn't directly impact O'Connell. But it should serve as a reminder of what's at stake if things don't change in 2026.