Shanahan Fired

December 31, 2008

If you thought Eric Mangini’s firing by the New York Jets was a surprise, then you must have been shocked by the news that the Denver Broncos had shown long-time head coach Mike Shanahan the door.  Shanahan was cut loose yesterday following an epic collapse by the Broncos that resulted in the team missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season.  While this firing certainly comes as a surprise to most, the writing was on the wall was there if one was inclined to look closely enough.  Shanahan had won only one playoff game in the past 10 years.  It’s hard to look past the two Super Bowls he won with John Elway, but when one really sits down and thinks about it, they realize how long ago that truly was.  That, combined with the historic collapse this season, was enough to unseat a guy who looked to have the job until he decided to move on.

Former Steelers coach Bill Cowher is probably the leading candidate to replace Shanahan.  Cowher wants control of the personnel decisions and there is currently no general manager in place in Denver.  This has to be one of the more attractive positions in the entire NFL, and not just out of the available ones.  Denver has a quality owner that is committed to winning, a loyal fan base and an emerging star quarterback.  However, the defense was atrocious this year and will need some major work.

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