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As Tuesday dawns, four NFL teams are without a head coach

A fifth is as inevitable as tomorrow and maybe as imminent.

Not as bad as some years – eight coaches were replaced last year – but always tough for those dismissed, their families and the assistant coaches and their families. It’s a nomadic business and a harsh one.

As it stands as we eye our typing deadline, the Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants and Washington Redskins are swiftly sorting through a shortlist of candidates. Maybe they’d like to get it done before the Dallas Cowboys fire Jason Garrett and offer the most complete team of this group to a prospective leader.

Actually, Washington didn’t fire interim coach Bill Callahan. Monday was about firing longtime club president Bruce Allen. The Redskins seem to be moving quickly to hire Ron Rivera, fired by the Panthers in November to take over for Callahan, who filled in for the dismissed Jay Gruden. The dash toward Rivera puts the team in the position (unenviable, says me) of hiring a general manager or football executive who did not pick the coach. Do you want to know how power struggles start?

The Panthers seem to like Mike McCarthy, the former Green Bay Packers coach. The Browns figure to talk to McCarthy as well. The Giants are said to have their eye on Baylor University coach Matt Rhule, who was once a Giants assistant. The name of New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is going to come up in Cleveland. So will that of Urban Meyer, who won a national championship at Ohio State (and two at Florida).

Several assistant coaches currently in the playoffs will also attract attention. Bear in mind San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman and Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.

 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman