Two time Superbowl winner Mike Shanahan was fired yesterday -
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DENVER (AP) — Over the past few years, Mike Shanahan, the vice president of football operations, didn't do Mike Shanahan, the coach, any favors.
In the end, both got fired.
The Denver Broncos parted ways with Shanahan on Tuesday following a late-season fizzle that knocked the team out of the postseason for a third straight season.
The collapse was complete with a 52-21 debacle at San Diego, with the Chargers rallying for the AFC West crown as Denver became the first team since divisional play started in 1967 to blow a three-game lead with three games left.
A dreadful defense — one built by Shanahan, the personnel man — was mostly to blame.
"After giving this careful consideration, I have concluded that a change in our football operations is in the best interests of the Denver Broncos," said owner Pat Bowlen, whose team finished 8-8.
Shanahan had a good run in Denver, leading the Broncos to two Super Bowl victories behind the legs of Terrell Davis and the arm of John Elway.
But life without Elway wasn't all that rosy; the Broncos have won only one playoff game since No. 7 retired after the second championship.
Over the past 10 years, Shanahan burned through three quarterbacks, five defensive coordinators and untold millions of dollars trying to get the Broncos back to the top. It didn't work.
The latest, most serious problem was the defense. Coordinator Bob Slowik attempted a different scheme seemingly every week — 3-4, 4-3, blitzes, zones, etc. — but the lack of talent was something no coach or scheme could overcome. Denver finished 29th in overall defense and last, at minus-17, in turnover margin.
It was Shanahan, in charge of every aspect of the Broncos, who put together the defense. This year, in his latest attempt to fix things, he brought in Boss Bailey, Niko Koutouvides and Dewayne Robertson in the offseason. But Bailey got hurt, Koutouvides couldn't get on the field — even with injuries at linebacker — and Robertson wasn't much help on the defensive line.
The team also said goodbye to John Lynch in training camp but free agents Marquand Manuel and Marlon McCree weren't the solutions at safety. Cornerback Champ Bailey had his worst season ever, missing almost two months after tearing a groin at New England in October and never regaining his All-Pro form.
"I'm part of the defense that didn't play well," defensive lineman Ebenezer Ekuban said. "You feel a little like it's your fault for what happened."
The 2008 Broncos also had a slew of injuries in the backfield — seven were placed on injured reserve.
But churning out tailbacks has never been Shanahan's problem. Davis, Olandis Gary, Reuben Droughns and Tatum Bell were all unheralded. All ran for 1,000 yards for the Broncos, leading to the notion that anyone could gain yardage in Shanahan's system.
Given all the ailments, some of the Broncos figured he'd get a pass for this season.
Didn't happen.
Shanahan and Bowlen were scheduled to hold news conferences Wednesday. Shanahan had three years left on his contract, worth about $20 million.
"The Broncos have had so much success under his tenure, you felt like he had it until he wanted to stop," said Spencer Larsen, a rookie fullback and linebacker. "I thought he was tremendous. Great person. He was always true to his word. He had a very good handle on the whole organization."
Shanahan went 146-91 in 14 seasons with Denver, including the playoffs. However, he was a pedestrian 24-24 over the last three seasons.
The new coach coming in will have pieces to work with — the offense is fully loaded. With Pro Bowlers Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall, rookie wideout Eddie Royal and a young offensive line, the Broncos finished with the second-best offense in the league.
It's that defense that needs work. The Broncos gave up 448 points this season, third-worst in the NFL.
Defensive deficiencies aside, Ekuban thinks the team is on the right path.
"Whoever comes in is going to have a well-stocked team that should be ready to go," said Ekuban, a pending free agent who hopes to be back. "As any year, some things are going to change. But I wouldn't touch that offense ... They did a tremendous job. Wish we could've helped."
The ousting of Shanahan came as a shock in Denver.
Bowlen has remained fiercely loyal to Shanahan over the years, viewing him as a coach who constantly redefined his operation to keep up with the ever-evolving league.
So entrenched was Shanahan, he's building a 35,000-square-foot house in a posh part of Denver, the mansion complete with a bowling alley and racquetball court.
Now he's out of a job — at least temporarily.
Shanahan went on the air last summer to declare Denver would make the playoffs in 2008, a brash prediction from the calculating coach.
It backfired.
AP National Writer Eddie Pells in Denver contributed to this report.
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