Black Monday looms, which coaches are in danger of being fired?

Some NFL coaches go into Week 17 with hopes of grabbing a playoff spot and extending their season. Other coaches wonder if Week 17 might be their last game before getting fired.

For Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith, it’s probably both.

The disappointing Falcons are still alive to win the NFC South, because the entire division has been bad. The 6-9 Falcons play the 6-8-1 Carolina Panthers, and the winner takes the NFC South crown. So Smith could be preparing for a playoff game on Monday, or cleaning out his office.

There has been plenty of speculation that he’ll be fired if he doesn’t win, and ESPN reported that the Falcons have already hired the search firm Korn Ferry to identify possible head coaching candidates. No pressure, Mike. In fact, Smith might need to win a playoff game to save his job.

Black Monday, the day after the regular season that usually sees a number of head-coaching changes, might not be that busy this year. But a few coaches are probably anticipating getting bad news.

San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh almost certainly appears to be on his way out, and the only question is where he will coach next. John U. Bacon of the New York Times said Harbaugh to the University of Michigan is “done” and his friends are flying into Michigan on Monday for the news.

If Harbaugh goes back to coach college, New York Jets coach Rex Ryan might be the hottest former coach on the market. Nobody expects Ryan will keep his job in New York, and general manager John Idzik might be fired too. Ryan has already cleaned out his office, a report said. Ryan won’t be out of work long. Even if he doesn’t land as a head coach, he’ll be a highly paid defensive coordinator somewhere if he wants to coach in 2015.

Chicago Bears coach Marc Trestman also appears like he might get fired as well. ESPN Chicago reported Sunday morning that multiple Bears coaches fear they will be fired as part of sweeping changes.

Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis will start looking for a permanent head coach in the next few days, the San Jose Mercury News said, and interim coach Tony Sparano could be a candidate there. If Harbaugh is in fact off to Michigan, that takes the biggest name off the board for the Raiders.

Reports have said coaches like Tom Coughlin of the New York Giants, Jay Gruden of the Washington Redskins and Joe Philbin of the Miami Dolphins are safe for 2015 (Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said publicly Philbin will be back), so there might not be too many openings for hot candidates like Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, Seattle Seahawks coordinators Darrell Bevell and Dan Quinn and Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase.

But there will be openings. At least a few coaches will finish coaching in Week 17 and then wait for their phone to ring on Black Monday.