Sports
Grading the NFL’s Worst Head Coaching Hires of 2026
Nearly a third of the teams in the NFL faced head-coaching vacancies this offseason, a rat race that concluded Sunday when the Arizona Cardinals tapped Mike LaFleur for the job.
The last hire of this coaching cycle wasn’t necessarily the best, though.
As with every class, someone’s got to bring down the curve. Read on to see which organizations rated an “F” for their coaching hires at first blush.
MIKE LAFLEUR, ARIZONA CARDINALS
Spurned by another burgeoning offensive mind from within their division, the Cardinals pivoted to LaFleur, the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coordinator, after Seattle Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak elected to lead the Las Vegas Raiders instead.
But plucking from the staff of an NFC Championship Game entrant barely makes a dent in Arizona’s bid to return to respectability. Significant questions remain on a roster that managed just 19 wins over the past four seasons and has finished above third in the NFC West once in the last nine years.
One of those uncertainties happens to play the game’s most important position. Quarterback Kyler Murray, limited to only five starts in 2025, still has two years and a team option remaining on a monster contract.
LaFleur, the younger brother of Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur, helped guide the Rams to the most yards (394.6) and points (30.5) per game in 2025. Apart from his family-tree pedigree, he also looms as the latest successful offshoot of the Sean McVay line.
Still, superior schemes won’t be enough at the start for an organization that needs rehauling beyond its Xs and Os.
JEFF HAFLEY, MIAMI DOLPHINS
Hafley only had been a head coach at Boston College before becoming Miami’s fourth HC hire since 2016.
Perhaps channeling that collegiate experience was a prescient move for an organization that’s been beset by infighting and still employs a mercurial quarterback whose best days came on campus.
Hafley has since proven to be a leader of NFL men, doing solid work in shaping the Green Bay defense as its coordinator the past two seasons. However, the unit’s slide after star pass rusher Micah Parsons’ late-season injury in 2025 isn’t an endorsement for his ability to overcome on-the-spot adversity.
Pairing with fellow Packers alum Jon-Eric Sullivan, Miami’s new general manager, could be a formula for Hafley to improve this grade. Until then, the unknown — and its ability to engulf first-time NFL head coaches — abounds.
TODD MONKEN, CLEVELAND BROWNS
Monken returns to his former stomping grounds with redemption on the brain. He served as Cleveland’s offensive coordinator during the one-year Freddie Kitchens Era in 2019, overseeing an attack that finished 22nd in the NFL in yards and points.
Kitchens’ dismissal opened the door for the since-dismissed Kevin Stefanski, while Monken got his groove back as OC at Georgia and with the Baltimore Ravens.
Monken, 59, brings established credibility and creativity to an offense lacking both. But he also knows from opposing the Browns twice a year about Cleveland’s question marks at QB and thinness at wide receiver and up front.
Plus, the ongoing Jim Schwartz saga reinforces Cleveland’s longtime organizational instability. Will Schwartz be back as Cleveland’s DC, or won’t he? If it’s the former, will fans think he’s only out to undermine a franchise that overlooked him for the top job after he built the defense into one of the league’s best?
Also, shouldn’t Monken have learned something when fellow candidates Mike McDaniel, Jesse Minter and Grant Udinski removed themselves from consideration for this post? Is he merely destined for second-guessing?
Sports
No. 20 Clemson takes its depth out west to face Stanford
Jan 31, 2026; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Stanford Cardinal forward Oskar Giltay (15) reaches for a loose ball during the second half against the Florida State Seminoles at Donald L. Tucker Center. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images Unranked to begin the season, No. 20 Clemson has relied on its depth to become one of the most consistent teams in the country.
The Tigers (18-4, 8-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) could turn to their deep bench again when they begin a West Coast trip against Stanford on Wednesday night.
Clemson is riding a 12-game ACC road win streak heading into the matchup against Stanford (14-8, 3-6), which has lost four straight.
Carter Welling and Nick Davidson scored 12 points apiece to lead Clemson to a 63-52 home win over Pittsburgh on Saturday. The Tigers led by 17 at the half before holding on to win for the 11th time in their last 12 games.
Clemson held Pittsburgh to 37.7% shooting from the field and a season-low 19.2% (5 of 26) from 3-point range.
Butta Johnson scored eight points off the bench for the Tigers, who won despite being outrebounded 33-25.
“Kind of a workman-like win for us,” Clemson coach Brad Brownell said. “Rusty a little bit at times, but I thought we did some good things in the first half on both ends. Then in the second half, we didn’t handle a 17-point lead very well.”
Clemson sits in second place in the ACC behind Duke with a challenging few weeks ahead. The Tigers’ second half of conference play includes games against ranked teams such as No. 4 Duke, No. 14 North Carolina and No. 24 Louisville.
Before heading into that challenging stretch, Clemson needs to be careful not to overlook Stanford, which recorded home wins over Louisville and North Carolina last month.
The Cardinal lost 88-80 to host Florida State on Saturday despite another strong effort from freshman point guard Ebuka Okorie, who had 26 points and four assists.
Okorie, who ranks 10th in the country in scoring at 21.8 points per game, was held to three points in the first half against Florida State before finding his rhythm after halftime.
“We’ve talked about his next step as a playmaker and a leader is to let the game come to him a little bit,” Stanford coach Kyle Smith said. “They’re denying him everywhere. He’s getting used to that. … He made some good decisions and gave us an opportunity. We just couldn’t get any stops.”
Brownell raved about Okorie during Monday’s ACC media session.
“Their freshman guard, he’s incredible, just watching him on film,” said Brownell. “It’s been impressive to see his speed and change of direction. His poise for a freshman is uncanny. And obviously, they’ve got shooters around him, guys that can make shots. They’re big and strong.”
Stanford has struggled without senior forward Chisom Okpara, who is out for the rest of the season after absorbing a lower extremity injury in a loss to Virginia on Jan. 10.
Okpara has been replaced in the starting lineup by sophomore forward Donavin Young, who had 10 points and five rebounds against Florida State.
Stanford is returning home following a pair of losses, including one at Miami. Benny Gealer made nine total 3-pointers in the two defeats, while AJ Rohosy averaged 10.5 points.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jets and Canadiens, headed in opposite directions, face off
Feb 2, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) allows a goal to Dallas Stars defenseman Nils Lundkvist (not pictured) during the second period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images The Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets face off Wednesday night as both clubs arrive at a key juncture in the NHL schedule.
The Canadiens extended their point streak to four games but fell 4-3 in overtime to the Minnesota Wild on Monday night.
Despite the loss, Montreal maintained its hold on a playoff position, still picking up a point, while sitting third in the Atlantic Division behind Tampa Bay and Detroit. Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis said the team is still working toward putting together a complete 60-minute performance.
“I think we’re aware of when we’re off a little bit,” St. Louis said following the defeat in Minnesota. “You catch your breath a little bit, you didn’t get hurt too bad, you’re still in it and you saw some sections of our ‘A’ Game… but not enough of it.”
Wednesday’s game marks the final contest for both teams before a three-week break as NHL players depart for Italy to compete in the Milano Cortina Olympic Games, with play resuming the last week of February for the league’s final regular-season stretch.
The game carries importance for Montreal as it looks to solidify its playoff standing. The Canadiens are currently seven points ahead of the first team outside of the wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference.
“Going into this break (we need to) make sure we’re getting all the points we can to come out of this thing ahead and continue to be ahead,” said Montreal forward Kirby Dach. “You can’t sit around. You’ve got to kind of put your head down and go to work.”
Winnipeg’s playoff outlook, meanwhile, continues to fade. The Jets, who won the Presidents’ Trophy last season with the NHL’s best regular-season record, have struggled to find consistency in 2025-26. Winnipeg forced overtime Monday night by tying the game with less than two minutes left before falling 4-3 to the Dallas Stars.
“That was a game that was winnable,” Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said. “We hung in there. That is how we have to play consistently. … You’re putting the opposition on their heels. I thought (in) the Tampa game, the Florida game, even at times with this one, we did a good job of that.”
The loss capped a four-game road trip in which the Jets posted a 2-1-1 record, with wins at New Jersey and Florida and a regulation loss in Tampa Bay in between. However, the Jets were only able to grab five of a possible eight points. Entering Tuesday, they sit nine points out of a postseason spot in the Western Conference.
“We’re desperate for points,” said defenseman Logan Stanley. “We need to win them all. It stings. Usually you’re happy with a point at the end of a road trip in a tough building like this, but it stings for sure.”
Winnipeg remains short-handed on defense, with Neal Pionk, Colin Miller and Haydn Fleury not expected to return until after the Winter Games.
Montreal continues to be without Patrik Laine, who remains on injured reserve with an abdominal injury, while forward Alexandre Texier missed Monday’s game with a lower-body issue.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Qualifier Martin Damm upsets seventh seed in Montpellier
Mar 23, 2024; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Martin Damm Jr. (USA) serves against Tommy Paul (USA)(not pictured) on day six of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Martin Damm, a 22-year-old qualifier from Florida, took down Polish seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 (5), 6-4 on Tuesday in the first round of the Open Occitanie in Montpellier, France.
While Hurkacz fired 14 aces without a double fault, Damm kept up with 13 aces of his own but also varied his attack, winning 13 of 17 net points. Ranked a career-high No. 160 in the world this week, Damm will meet Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in the second round.
Frenchmen won four of the six matches contested Tuesday, including No. 6 seed Arthur Fils outlasting countryman Valentin Royer 7-6 (7), 6-7 (4), 6-2 in nearly two hours and 33 minutes. It was Fils’ first match since August due to a back injury sidelining him for the fall.
Fils won an impressive 55 of 66 first-service points (83.3%).
Also from France, No. 5 seed Ugo Humbert eased past Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands, 6-3, 6-4; qualifier Titouan Droguet conquered Great Britain’s Jan Choinski 6-2, 7-6 (2); and Ugo Blanchet beat Italian qualifier Andrea Vavassori 6-4, 6-3. Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta rallied past Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4).
–Field Level Media
