Shanahan fired as Broncos coach
Friday, January 2, 2009 8:29 AM PST
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.
