NFL News: Josh McDaniels Fired As Broncos Head Coach
When Denver Broncos team owner Pat Bowlen brought Josh McDaniels from the New England Patriots, he wanted him to bring their winning spirit along with them to the Rocky Mountains.
But instead of a winner, the Broncos got their own personal videotaping scandal and their worst record in over 40 years.
McDaniels was fired on Monday, with runningbacks coach Eric Studesville serving as the interim head coach for the last month of the season.
McDaniels, 34, is now considered a big mistake for the Broncos and Bowlen.
"My decision to relieve Josh McDaniels as head coach was not taken lightly. I will always be appreciative of his passion, enthusiasm and hard work, and I thank him for his efforts," Bowlen said in a statement.
"In the end, I was not satisfied with the results and the direction this team was headed. The decision to make a change was extremely difficult but one that needed to be made for this organization and our fans," Bowlen added. "Everyone,
myself included, is accountable for our disappointing season and is now responsible for restoring the culture of winning that has been established by this franchise. Our entire organization is completely focused on returning to the level of prosperity that
our fans expect and deserve from the Denver Broncos."
The Broncos’ players did not know anything about McDaniels being dismissed after they left practice at about 3:00 PM on Monday. McDaniels was then later called into Bowlen’s office and fired.
The rest of the staff, including Ben, McDaniels' brother, will stay for the final month.
"I am very grateful to Pat Bowlen and the Broncos organization for giving me the opportunity to be the head coach of such a proud franchise," McDaniels said in a statement released by the team. "I would like to thank all of the
people who helped us over the last two years. I am especially appreciative of the efforts of every player, coach and member of the personnel department who worked so hard every day. I wish Pat Bowlen and the Broncos organization nothing but the best in the
future."
Mere hours before he was dismissed, McDaniels said that he wasn’t concerned whether he would keep his job or not.
"I'm not worried about that. I'm going to coach as hard as I can because that is my job and that's somebody else's decision," McDaniels said.
McDaniels is the third coach fired during the 2010 season, all of which were dismissed in the past month. Minnesota Vikings’ Brad Childress and Dallas Cowboys’ Wade Philips were also fired.
The Broncos will play their next game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday December 12th, under Studesville.
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