Teams have already begun scrambling to fill vacancies, setting up interviews with desired candidates Norv Turner received a note last week from Josh Whitman, a former player for the San Diego Chargers and now the athletic director at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse.
Whitman played only one season under Turner, in 2001, when Turner was the offensive coordinator, but Whitman wanted to thank him for everything he'd done for him.
"On the bottom of it he said, 'you changed my life,'" Turner told reporters Monday during his final press conference after being fired by the Chargers. "And that's what you're trying to do as a coach."
WHO'S OUT?: Track Monday's coach and GM firing?
BELL: The coldest Black Monday ever?
They call it "Black Monday" in the NFL. There's breathless speculation and posturing leading up to it, and a race to report the news. There are fans hoping for the news their coach gets fired, with the Chargers' faithful using the hashtag http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/http://usatoday.com/#FireNorv on Twitter for a long time now. But behind all of the names scrolling across the bottom of the screen or popping up on Twitter feeds are human beings who just lost their dream jobs.
Well-paid human beings who just lost dream jobs many would love to hold for just one day? Absolutely. But men who now face uncertain futures and must think about uprooting their families to follow them elsewhere.
There were seven coaches and five general managers who lost their jobs in the most active Black Monday ever, with more to come for sure.
SCHEDULE: Who's your team playing in 2013?
"Today is, every year, my least favorite day in the National Football League," said Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, who fired Andy Reid. "For 14 years, I (have been) at home watching teams have to make changes with their head coaches. They work so hard at it, and every year for 14 years I sit there and I feel for many of them who I know quite well. Several of them have worked in this building and you just feel for them.
"Today we're in that position, and this is the first time in 14 years that (it's been) the case."
Reid was the second coach to be fired Monday morning, shortly after the Cleveland Browns let go of Pat Shurmur. Then, word broke the Kansas City Chiefs had parted with Romeo Crennel, the Buffalo Bills fired Chan Gailey, the Chicago Bears fired Lovie Smith, Turner was let go, and finally the Arizona Cardinals fired Ken Whisenhunt.
LURIE: What led to Andy Reid's downfall?
Even though it had been rumored for weeks new Bears general manager Phil Emery might fire Smith, it was a shock to many, including some angry Bears players.
"I'm going to go home and get away from football right now," Devin Hester said while also criticizing the fans and media for calling for Smith's firing. "I don't even know if I want to play again, man."
The day began with the first general manager being fired when the Jacksonville Jaguars let go of Gene Smith. After that, the Browns announced Tom Heckert would not be retained, Mike Tannenbaum paid for his mistakes with Mark Sanchez, Santonio Holmes and Tim Tebow when he was fired by the New York Jets, and a pair of GMs were let go along with their coaches – A.J. Smith (Chargers) and Rod Graves (Cardinals).
Tannenbaum spoke to the players and cried while doing so.
"I appreciate that it is rare for someone to stay with one organization with such a wide range of responsibilities for so many years," said Tannenbaum, a former cap guy who joined the organization in 1997. "My time with the Jets will always be special to me and my family, and it has prepared me well for whatever comes next."
In words he also told the players, Tannenbaum added, "There are champions on this team that haven't been crowned yet."
While it was a sad day for those who lost their jobs, the flip side is there are now more openings after one day than ever before. And already the scrambling has begun:
-- The Cardinals said they will interview Reid, as well as Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. Look for current Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton to get an interview as well, and not just as a Rooney Rule requirement.
-- The Bears also will interview McCoy, per FoxSports.com. ESPN Chicago says the Bears will bring in Atlanta Falcons special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong. And a source told USA TODAY Sports Monday that Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan will meet with Chicago.
-- Rumblings are the Buffalo Bills could be interested in bringing in Whisenhunt. And it could make financial sense for the small-market Bills because Whisenhunt is owed $5.5 million from Arizona in 2013 with no offset language in the contract. That means the Cardinals owe Whisenhunt the difference between what he makes and that $5.5 million marker. The Bills could come in with a low offer for Whisenhunt, who won't like the quarterback situation in Buffalo but could overlook that hurdle.
-- The New York Jets will interview San Francisco 49ers director of player personnel Tom Gamble, as first reported by ESPN. Gamble is also drawing interest from the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Diego Chargers. Meanwhile, another hot name is Marc Ross. The Giants' director of college scouting has been a candidate for the Panthers for a while. Now, the Jets are also looking to talk to him, as are the Chargers.
-- And the hot name continues to be Oregon's Chip Kelly. Lurie's saying he's looking for an innovative coach who's ahead of the game and knows where the league is trending. If that's not a public plea for Kelly, we don't know what it is. Lurie can expect a fight on that one from the Cleveland Browns and CEO Joe Banner, the Eagles' former president. Dirk Koetter, the Atlanta Falcons' offensive coordinator, is one of the Eagles' other targets. FoxSports.com reported Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Nolan also will meet with the Eagles.
-- The one name that's yet to be tied to a specific job is perhaps the biggest of all: Jon Gruden. There was a report early in the day the former Raiders and Bucs coach would accept invites to interview. But a person informed of Gruden's thinking, speaking to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because Gruden hasn't commented on his interest in returning to the NFL, said the ESPN commentator is currently planning to remain in that role. It's unclear if that will change at some point in the near future.
As always, there's a lot of change and movement, as there was on this Black Monday.
Jon Gruden, former Buccaneers head coach: Gruden's name has been floated around for just about every NFL vacancy and high-profile college gig since Tampa Bay fired him after the 2008 season. The ESPN analyst reportedly will speak to teams, and some possible landing spots include Philadelphia and San Diego.
Howard Smith, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Jim Caldwell, Ravens offensive coordinator: Caldwell took the Colts to the Super Bowl in his first season as head coach. He was promoted to offensive coordinator late in the 2012 season.
Evan Habeeb, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Kyle Shanahan, Redskins offensive coordinator: The 33-year-old certainly has had a lifetime of experience under his father and will likely get a head coaching opportunity at some point thanks to his work with the young Skins offense. A team looking for a bright offensive mind (Chicago, Kansas City?) could be the best fit if that time comes in 2013.
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Joe DeCamillis, Cowboys special teams coach: Even though his unit had several high-profile screwups this season, DeCamillis was courted by the Raiders for their assistant head coaching job last season (the Cowboys denied permission) and might be a darkhorse candidate by some team looking for an unconventional hire.
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Todd Haley, Steelers offensive coordinator: Haley was 19-26 in Kansas City from 2009-2011, guiding the Chiefs to the playoffs in 2010.
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Jack Del Rio, Broncos defensive coordinator: Del Rio was 68-71 from 2003-2011 as Jacksonville's head coach, leading the Jaguars to postseason appearances. His work transforming the Broncos defense into one of the league's best will surely make him a hot candidate.
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Josh McDaniels, Patriots offensive coordinator: McDaniels didn't make it through two seasons as Denver's head coach, returning to the Patriots in 2012. The 36-year-old is still highly regarded, but count him out of the Bears job given his history with Jay Cutler.
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Andy Reid, former Eagles head coach: Reid has indicated that he’d like to coach in 2013 but it might be better for him to take a year off to recharge after a grueling year on and off the field. San Diego would probably be an ideal landing spot for the Southern California native but the Chargers may not have mutual interest.
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Mike McCoy, Broncos offensive coordinator: After adjusting his team’s gameplan to suit Tim Tebow (and win) and then revamping for Peyton Manning, the 40-year-old McCoy is one of the hottest candidates out there. He’s never been a head coach, but Chicago has reportedly already requested an interview and several other teams will likely follow.
Byron Hetzler, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Lovie Smith, former Bears coach: Smith is out in Chicago after a 10-6 season and may find an organization happy to pursue someone with his career bonafides. Smith would be a bigger name than any of the Bills’ recent hires and Arizona might kick the tires as well.
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Doug Marrone, Syracuse head coach: The former Saints offensive coordinator has turned the Orange football program around and is seen as similar to Tampa Bay’s Greg Schiano, who wrapped up his first year in the NFL after bolting Rutgers. With only seven openings, Marrone will have to really wow in interviews to get a job over other potential college guys like Chip Kelly or Nick Saban.
Joe Camporeale, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Nick Saban, Alabama head coach: If Saban wins another national title, there’s always a chance that he might decide that he wants another shot at winning a Super Bowl. The former defensive coordinator in Cleveland under Bill Belichick, Saban is likely to at least get a few call from new owner Jimmy Haslam to gauge his interest.
Daniel Shirey, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Bill O’Brien, Penn State head coach: O’Brien, the former offensive coordinator in New England, is reportedly high on Cleveland and Philadelphia’s wish lists. Any team who gets him would likely have to pay Penn State a hefty buyout fee to get him out of his contract, which automatically extended to 2020 after the school was hit with NCAA sanctions this summer.
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Chip Kelly, Oregon head coach: Kelly has gone to BCS bowls in each of his four seasons leading the Ducks, but many question whether or not his spread-option offense would translate to the NFL. Still, he'll probably get some calls from teams looking to mane a splash.
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Winston Moss, Packers assistant head coach/linebackers coach: Moss was considered the early front-runner for the Oakland Raiders job last January, which eventually went to Broncos defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. He may get a look in Buffalo.
Paul Spinelli, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Jay Gruden, Bengals offensive coordinator: His brother will get most of the press but Jay Gruden could also be in line for several head jobs after helping mentor the Bengals young offense to two consecutive playoff berths. Cleveland, Buffalo and Philadelphia could all have him on their radar.
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Perry Fewell, Giants defensive coordinator: The Giants defense has been maddeningly inconsistent under Fewell, but he could get a look in Buffalo, where he was offensive coordinator for four years and the interim head coach at the end of 2009.
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Vic Fangio, 49ers defensive coordinator: Under Fangio’s direction, the 49ers defense has become one of the best in the NFL. He’d be a little old (at 54) for a first-time head coaching job but the eastern Pennsylvania native might be an appealing fit to the Eagles, who’ll look to reestablish their defense.
Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Bruce Arians, Colts offensive coordinator: Arians served as interim head coach while Chuck Pagano was away and the Colts went from 2-14 to the postseason. His work with Andrew Luck this year could make him a good candidate for the Chiefs, who hold the No. 1 pick.
Jamie Squire, Getty Images Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Kirk Ferentz, Iowa head coach: The Hawkeyes are 100-74 in Ferentz's 14 years at the helm. Rumors have circulated tying Ferentz to the now-vacant Chiefs job.
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Brian Billick, former Ravens head coach: Billick hasn't coached since 2007, but his name always seems to get floated around.
Howard Smith, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Bob Stoops, Oklahoma head coach: In Norman since 1999, Stoops has no NFL experience and has frequently turned down potential opportunities to make the jump. Only he knows whether his mindset has changed. Stoops did grow up near Cleveland in Youngstown, Ohio, so it would make sense that the Browns might see where his head’s at.
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Brian Kelly, Notre Dame head coach: Kelly has never coached in the NFL, and is unlikely to leave South Bend. Still, Kelly has been known to jump ship if a better offer comes up.
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Mike Zimmer, Bengals defensive coordinator: Now in his fifth season in Cincinnati, Zimmer was a candidate to get his first head-coaching job in both Indianapolis and Tampa Bay last year. Zimmer’s proven NFL pedigree could put him in the running somewhere like Buffalo.
Michael Keating, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Mike Holmgren, former Browns president: Holmgren, who hasn't coached since 2008, has left the Browns organization and will probably get a call for some team looking to make a safe hire.
Mark Duncan, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Rick Dennison, Texans offensive coordinator: The former Broncos player and assistant was among the early names for Denver’s vacancy two years ago and may get some attention depending on how the Texans’ playoff run ends up.
Jack Dempsey, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Bill Cowher, former Steelers head coach: Cowher has been out of coaching since 2006, but his name will probably come up for the Eagles job.
Nick Ut, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Mike Nolan, Falcons defensive coordinator: Nolan was 18-37 in three and a half years as the 49ers head coach but could get another opportunity somewhere due to his guiding of the Falcons defense.
Greg Trott, Getty Images 
