Mike Shanahan Fired
Shanahan Comments On Firing
The man who made a habit of steamrolling AFC West opponents from high atop his plateau in the Colorado mountains learned he won't be back for more orange crush in 2009.
After 14 seasons, eight playoff appearances, three AFC West titles and two super bowl wins, the Denver Broncos have parted ways with longtime head coach Mike Shanahan. The decision came after a blistering 52-21 loss at San Diego, in which the Broncos relinquished control of the AFC West for the first time all season, having led it by three games just three weeks earlier.
On the verge of tears Wednesday, Shanahan, in his usual selfless manner, thanked many people who aided in his rich success over the past decade and a half, including even team owner (and friend) Pat Bowlen, who ultimately pulled the plug on his employment.
"I feel good about the job I have done," Shanahan said in a Wednesday press conference. "The thing is, you have to make some tough decisions when you run an organization. You have to do things that are in the best interest of the organization, and I felt that that was right and I understand the direction he (Pat) went. Pat Bowlen does (an) unbelievable job of giving the best chance to be successful. When you look at everything, you say, ‘Hey, it has been fun.’ We will always be friends."
"Shanny," as fans lovingly called him now joins Romeo Crennel (Cleveland), Eric Mangini (Jets), and Rod Marinelli (Detroit) as the latest NFL coaches out of a job. It's a feeling Shanahan hasn't known in nearly 20 years...his only other termination came in the fall of 1989, four weeks into his second season with the then Los Angeles Raiders. He went 8-12 while there.
Today, Shanahan is considered by numerous NFL insiders and experts to be the top prospect on the market for teams looking for a new skipper. If hired elsewhere, he would bring 15 1/4 years of head coaching experience and nine years of offensive coordinating expertise to his new employer (he served as offensive coordinator in Denver 1984-87, and San Francisco 1990-94).
At 56 years of age, Shanahan does not appear ready to throw in the towel just yet.
"My next job that I go to will be based on one thing: It gives you the best chance to win because this thing is about winning, all the time you put in," Shanahan adds. "My goal has always been to win a Super Bowl." He was the coaching victor for Denver in both Super Bowls 32 and 33, in January of 1998 and 99, respectively.
In his farewell speech, Shanahan also thanked scores of team staff members, past and present players, as well as Bowlen. He was nicknamed "The Mastermind" by colleagues, and many have said that no NFL coach does more planning for games. Shanahan was also regarded by many to have the best player-coach relations in football, the highest level of professionalism, and his "winning" ways were evidenced by his 146-89 record as Denver's leader (he is 154-101 all time as a head coach).
Shanahan has yet to decide if he will return to coaching in 2009, or take time off.
Being one of millions of Americans now out of work, Shanahan made it clear that the strong can weather any season.
"Tough times don't last," Shanahan says. "Tough people do."
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