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NFL Black Monday: Seven NFL coaches sacked in firing frenzy

Tuesday, January 01, 2013

HOUSTON -- By lunchtime Monday, seven NFL coaches were looking for work.

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With the regular season ending the day before, the firings came at a furious clip and within a two-hour span the following were sacked: Andy Reid in Philadelphia, Lovie Smith in Chicago, Norv Turner in San Diego, Pat Shurmur in Cleveland, Romeo Crennel in Kansas City and Chan Gailey in Buffalo,

Though he also had a losing record, New York Jets coach Rex Ryan held onto his job while general manager Mike Tannenbaum was let go. Jacksonville fired its GM, Gene Smith, and coach Mike Mularkey could go soon, too.

The Chargers and Browns made it a clean sweep. San Diego dismissed GM A.J. Smith along with Turner. Cleveland fired GM Tom Heckert along with Shurmur.

Reid was the longest tenured of the coaches, removed after 14 seasons and a Super Bowl appearance in 2005 -- a loss to New England.

Smith spent nine seasons with the Bears, leading them to the Super Bowl in 2006 -- a loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

Turner went 56-40 with the Chargers, the third team to fire him as head coach. San Diego won the AFC West from 2006-09 -- he was 3-3 in the playoffs -- but didn't make the postseason the last three years.

Gailey was dumped after three seasons with the Bills; Shurmur after two; and Crennel had one full season with the Chiefs.

Reid took over a 3-13 team in 1999, drafted Donovan McNabb with the No. 2 overall pick and quickly turned the franchise into a title contender.

He led them to a run of four straight NFC championship games, a streak that ended with a trip to the NFL title game. But the team hasn't won a playoff game since 2008 and after last season's 8-8 finish, owner Jeffrey Lurie said he was looking for improvement this year. Instead, it was even worse. The Eagles finished 4-12.

"Andy Reid won the most games of any head coach in Eagles history and he is someone I respect greatly and will remain friends with for many years to come," Lurie said. "But, it is time for the Eagles to move in a new direction. Andy leaves us with a winning tradition that we can build upon."

Shurmur went 9-23 in his two seasons with the Browns, who will embark on yet another offseason of change -- the only constant in more than a decade of futility. Cleveland has lost at least 11 games in each of the past five seasons and made the playoffs just once since returning to the NFL as an expansion team in 1999.

"Ultimately our objective is to put together an organization that will be the best at everything we do," Browns CEO Joe Banner said. " On the field, our only goal is trying to win championships."

Crennel took over with three games left in the 2011 season after GM Scott Pioli fired Todd Haley. Kansas City will have the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft as a result of having one of the worst seasons in its 53-year history. The only other time the Chiefs finished 2-14 was 2008, the year before Pioli was hired.

Gailey, the former Dallas Cowboys coach, compiled a 16-32 record in his three seasons in Buffalo, never doing better than 6-10.

"This will probably be, and I say probably, but I think it will be the first place that's ever fired me that I'll pull for," Gailey said.

Smith and the Bears went 10-6 this season and just missed a playoff spot. But Chicago started 7-1 this year and has struggled to put together a productive offense throughout Smith's tenure. His record was 81-63 with the Bears.

Cardinals fire coach Whisenhunt, GM Graves

The Arizona Cardinals have fired coach Ken Whisenhunt after six seasons that included the long-suffering franchise's only Super Bowl appearance.

The team also ousted general manager Rod Graves, who had been with the franchise for 16 years. He'd been general manager since 2007.

The housecleaning by Cardinals President Michael Bidwill, son of team owner Bill Bidwill, followed a season that saw the team start 4-0 but lose 11 of its last 12 to finish 5-11.

The 50-year-old Whisenhunt had more wins than any other coach in Cardinals history, going 45-51, 4-2 in the playoffs. He had a year worth about $5.5 million left on his contract.

Of the team's three winning seasons the past 28 years, two came with Whisenhunt as coach.

Chargers fire coach Norv Turner, GM A.J. Smith

The San Diego Chargers fired coach Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith on Monday after missing the playoffs for the third straight season.

Coming after a season of stunning come-from-ahead losses and increasing fan anger, the firings complete a startling fall for a team that won the AFC West from 2006-09.

The Chargers are the third team to fire Turner, who has an overall head coaching record of 114-122-1.

Turner was an unpopular hire in February 2007, seen as a pawn controlled by the authoritarian Smith after the GM won a power struggle with old-school coach Marty Schottenheimer.

Despite having what was perceived as one of the NFL's most-talented rosters for several seasons, Smith and Turner never got the Chargers to the Super Bowl.

"Both Norv and A.J. are consummate NFL professionals, and they understand that in this league, the bottom-line is winning," team President Dean Spanos said in a statement. "My only goal is the Super Bowl, and that is why I have decided to move in a new direction with both our head coach and general manager positions. I am committed to our great fans, and we will do whatever we possibly can to achieve that goal."

The Chargers also announced that former Green Bay Packers GM Ron Wolf has been hired as a consultant to help the find a new general manager and coach.

Spanos and Wolf will be joined by Spanos' son, John, the director of college scouting, and Ed McGuire, the team's lead contract negotiator, in conducting interviews. The new general manager will assist in interviews for the new coach, the team said.

Smith's glaring roster deficiencies, especially on the offensive line in front of $94 million man Philip Rivers, helped contribute to San Diego's 7-9 record, its first losing season since 2003.

Rivers was under siege most of the season. Having to scramble for his well-being helped contribute to 22 turnovers -- giving him 47 in two seasons -- and he was sacked 49 times.

After a 3-1 start, the Chargers had a series of collapses.

They blew a 10-point third-quarter lead to lose at New Orleans on Oct. 7.

The Bolts' Monday night face-plant against Denver on Oct. 15 was epic. They blew a 24-0 halftime lead as Peyton Manning calmly led the Broncos to a 35-24 victory.

On Nov. 25, the Chargers allowed Baltimore's Ray Rice to convert on a dump-down pass on fourth-and-29. The Ravens forced overtime and won.

Chargers President Dean Spanos also had to consider business factors. Four blackouts, including three straight, meant the Chargers were losing millions of dollars in potential revenue.

Another sign of the eroding roster was that no Chargers were voted to the Pro Bowl. Six seasons ago, 11 Chargers were voted to the NFL's all-star game, including five starters.

Turner was Smith's signature hire. He inherited a 14-2 team and reached the AFC championship game his first season, but the Chargers began a gradual decline. Their last playoff win came after the 2008 season. Their last playoff appearance was an embarrassing home loss to the New York Jets after the 2009 season. The next night, the Chargers announced a four-year contract extension for Turner.

Spanos had twice sided with GMs over coaches. In 1996, he forced out Bobby Ross and kept Bobby Beathard just two years after the Chargers reached their only Super Bowl. In February 2007, Spanos fired Schottenheimer due to a "dysfunctional" relationship between the coach and Smith. The two reportedly didn't speak to each other for the previous two years.

This time, both coach and GM -- who have always been linked at the hip -- were dismissed.

Smith proclaimed Turner to be the "right coach at the right time" for the Chargers. When Turner was hired, he was 24 games under .500, having gone 49-59-1 with Washington from 1994 until being fired with three games left in the 2000 season, and 9-23 with Oakland from 2004-05.

"I'm pretty much aware of who he is and where he's been," Smith said that day. "But this isn't Washington and this isn't Oakland. It's the San Diego Chargers."

Turner was 56-40 with the Chargers overall, but only 24-24 the last two seasons.

Turner has one season at $3 million left on his contract. Smith has two years left at $2 million annually.

The Chargers were 3-5 in the playoffs in 10 seasons under Smith, who was promoted after his boss, John Butler, died of cancer in 2003.

They were 3-3 in the playoffs under Turner.

Turner was known as a brilliant offensive schemer, having served as offensive coordinator for two of Dallas' three Super Bowl teams in the 1990s.

But he struggled with game management and his first four Chargers teams were known for slow starts followed by mad scrambles to get into the playoffs. When the Chargers were about to drop to 1-3 to start Turner's first season, fans began chanting "Mar-ty! Mar-ty!" in homage to Schottenheimer.

Favoring hardball negotiating tactics, Smith clashed with his own players and coaches, as well as agents and the media. He allowed a steady stream of stars to leave as free agents, including Drew Brees, LaDainian Tomlinson, Darren Sproles, Michael Turner and Vincent Jackson, while failing to adequately replace them.

Some outsiders felt Smith's ego helped weaken the roster, and that some of his spats became personal.

He mocked Tomlinson, whose Hall of Fame-caliber career included winning the NFL MVP award in 2006. Tomlinson's sin, in Smith's eyes, was being honest about a severe groin injury late in the 2008 season. Smith also mocked the Manning family in April before Peyton Manning signed with Denver.

Smith had his hits and misses with players. He's best known for taking Eli Manning with the No. 1 pick overall in the 2004 draft despite Archie Manning's request that he not do so, and then dealing Manning's rights to the New York Giants for Philip Rivers and draft picks that he used to take Shawne Merriman and Nate Kaeding.

Eli Manning went on to win two Super Bowls. Rivers has yet to play in one.

Smith's recent drafts produced more busts than impact players, though, as he seemed to live off the fumes of that `04 draft.

Smith could have picked Clay Matthews in 2009 but went with Larry English. In 2010, he moved up 16 spots to draft Ryan Mathews, the heir apparent to Tomlinson. Mathews has been dogged by injuries and fumbles. In his first draft, 2003, Smith could have had Troy Polamalu but chose Sammy Davis instead.

Smith did sign undrafted rookie Antonio Gates in 2003, but he also let Wes Welker go after just one game in 2004.

Bears fire coach Lovie Smith after 9 seasons

The Chicago Bears fired coach Lovie Smith on Monday after the team missed the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons.

Smith was informed of the decision by general manager Phil Emery on the day after the Bears beat Detroit to finish 10-6 but still didn't make the playoffs.

Smith led the Bears to a Super Bowl, but also saw his team collapse in the second half of the past two seasons. Hired in 2004, Smith led the Bears to three division titles, two NFC title games and a 2007 Super Bowl appearance in his nine seasons. His record is 81-63, and he leaves with one year left on his contract.

The Bears scheduled a news conference Tuesday to discuss the move.

Even though Chicago closed with a win, the Bears needed a loss by Minnesota to get into the playoffs. The Vikings, though, beat Green Bay to clinch a postseason spot, leaving Chicago as the second team since the postseason expanded to 12 teams to miss out after a 7-1 start. The other was Washington in 1996.

Smith's record ranks third on the Bears' all-time list, behind George Halas and Mike Ditka.

The highlight of his tenure was the run to the title game that ended with a loss to the Indianapolis Colts. It was the first time two black coaches met for the championship, with Smith going against his mentor Tony Dungy.

The Bears made the playoffs just three times and posted three postseason victories under Smith. The 2010 team beat Seattle after the Seahawks won their division with a 7-9 record, but the Bears lost to Green Bay in the NFC title game at Soldier Field.

There was speculation Smith would be let go following the 2011 team's collapse, but he got one more year while general manager Jerry Angelo was fired.

Ultimately, the struggles on offense did him in.

Known for solid defenses, Smith oversaw a unit that was consistently effective and at times ranked among the league's best with stars such as Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and later Julius Peppers. Smith emphasized taking the ball away from the opposition, and no team did it more than the Bears with 310 during his tenure.

But on the other side, it was a different story.

Smith went through four offensive coordinators in Terry Shea, Ron Turner, Mike Martz and Mike Tice. He never could find the right formula, even as the Bears acquired stars such as quarterback Jay Cutler and receiver Brandon Marshall over the years.

The offensive line has struggled in a big way over the past few seasons after age took its toll on a group that was a strength during the 2005 and 2006 playoff seasons. The Bears were never able to replenish, spending first-round picks on Chris Williams (2008) and Gabe Carimi (2011) that did not pan out.

Williams had his contract terminated in October, ending a disappointing run, and Carimi struggled this season after missing most of his rookie year with a knee injury.

While Angelo took the fall after last season, Smith was not without blame in the personnel issues over the years. He pushed to bring in former Rams offensive lineman Orlando Pace and safety Adam Archuleta, players who succeeded in St. Louis when Smith was the defensive coordinator there but were busts with the Bears.

He had no bigger supporter than team matriarch Virginia McCaskey, but the fans seemed split on him. To some, he was a picture of calm, a coach who never lost his composure and never criticized his players in public, the anti-Ditka if you will.

History suggests fans who are clamoring for a high-profile replacement such as Bill Cowher or Jon Gruden might be disappointed. The last time the Bears went with an experienced NFL head coach was when Halas returned to the sideline in 1958.

They might, however, go with an offensive-minded coach for the first time since Mike Ditka was fired after the 1992 season, given the issues in that area.

That the Bears would be in this spot seemed unthinkable after they ripped Tennessee 51-20 on Nov. 4. They were sailing along at 7-1 and eyeing a big playoff run after collapsing the previous season, with the defense taking the ball away and scoring at an eye-opening rate to compensate for a struggling offense, but the schedule took a tougher turn.

They dropped back-to-back games to Houston and San Francisco and five of six in all before closing out with wins at Arizona and Detroit. Injuries mounted along the way, and what looked like a playoff run slipped from their grasp, just as it did after a promising start in 2011.

That year, they won seven of their first 10 only to wind up at 8-8 after a monumental collapse sparked by a season-ending injury to Cutler.

While Angelo was fired, Smith got spared and Emery took the job with a mandate to keep the coach at least one more year.

He quickly went to work retooling the roster, landing Marshall in a blockbuster trade with Miami that reunited Cutler with his favorite target in Denver.

He also added depth in other areas, bringing in Jason Campbell as the backup quarterback after Caleb Hanie failed the previous season and teaming running back Michael Bush in the backfield with Matt Forte.

All those moves sent expectations soaring. The results were awfully familiar, though.

Now, Smith's out of a job.

Eagles fire Andy Reid after 14 seasons

Andy Reid's worst coaching season with the Philadelphia Eagles ended Monday after 14 years when he was fired by owner Jeffrey Lurie, who said it was time "to move in a new direction."

The dismissal came one day after Reid and the Eagles were humiliated 42-7 by the New York Giants and ended their season at 4-12.

"Andy leaves us with a winning tradition that we can build upon. And we are very excited about the future," Lurie said in a statement released by the team.

The team pushed back a scheduled noon EST news conference to 1 p.m.

Reid took over a 3-13 team in 1999, drafted Donovan McNabb with the No. 2 overall pick and quickly turned the franchise into a title contender.

He is the winningest coach in club history and led them to a run of four straight NFC championship games, a streak that ended with a Super Bowl trip after the 2004 season -- and a loss, 24-21, to the New England Patriots.

Still, Reid cemented Philadelphia as a football town -- though the Eagles have never won the NFL title -- and led the team to an unmatched level of success. But the team hasn't won a playoff game since 2008 and after last season's 8-8 finish, Lurie said he was looking for improvement this year.

Instead, it was even worse.

Reid sounded like a man who knew he was going to be out of work when he addressed the media after the Giants game.

"I go in eyes wide open," Reid said, referring to his upcoming meeting Monday with Lurie. "Either way, I understand. Whatever he chooses will be the right thing. He always does things for the best interests of the Eagles."

Lurie said the search for Reid's successor begins immediately.

Reid is due to make $6 million in 2013 in the final year of his contract. He is the franchise leader in wins (140) and winning percentage (.578) and led the Eagles to six division titles and five NFC championship games.

It already had been a difficult year for Reid. He endured a devastating loss weeks before the season opener when his oldest son, Garrett, died at training camp after a long battle with drug addiction.

In October, Reid fired close friend and longtime assistant Juan Castillo, who was in his second season as defensive coordinator after coaching the offensive line for 13 years. He later fired defensive-line coach Jim Washburn.

After beating the defending Super Bowl champion Giants on Sept. 30, the Eagles lost eight straight games -- their worst losing streak in 42 years.

PhiladelpiaEagles.com posted video of Lurie and Reid addressing team employees, who gave Reid a big ovation. Lurie handed him a game ball.

"I have a hard time standing before people without a few boos involved. But I'm taking it, I'm taking it all in," Reid said. "These have been the greatest 14 years of my life."

He added: "Sometimes change is good. ... I know the next guy that comes in will be phenomenal. The ultimate goal is a Super Bowl. Everybody in this room, I wish you a big ring on the finger in the near future.

"Hail to the Eagles, baby."

Chiefs fire Crennel, make no move on GM Pioli

The Kansas City Chiefs fired coach Romeo Crennel on Monday, but made no move on embattled general manager Scott Pioli despite a 2-14 season marked by blowout losses, fan rebellion and a murder-suicide involving one of their players.

Crennel was fired after one full season as coach, and one day after Kansas City matched the fewest wins in franchise history with an embarrassing 38-3 loss to the Denver Broncos.

"I am embarrassed by the poor product we gave our fans this season, and I believe we have no choice but to move the franchise in a different direction," Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. "I will immediately begin the search for the next head coach of the Chiefs. The entire football operation will remain under review and there may be additional changes to come."

Hunt said that "no final determination has been made" about Pioli's future.

The Chiefs' only victories this season came against New Orleans and Carolina, the latter coming one day after linebacker Jovan Belcher shot his girlfriend to death and then drove to the team's practice facility and turned the gun on himself as Crennel and Pioli looked on.

Crennel seemed to know the end was coming Sunday night when he was asked to defend his job and said, "If your criteria is wins and losses, there's not much defense."

Kansas City will have the No. 1 pick in the draft after the most disappointing season in its 53-year history. The only other time the Chiefs finished 2-14 was 2008, the year before Pioli was hired. They were 2-12 in 1977, the only other time they've failed to win at least three games.

"Words can't describe it, to be honest with you," cornerback Brandon Flowers said. "We have to do the best we can to block this out and start from scratch next year."

With five players voted to the Pro Bowl last week, there are certainly pieces in place for the Chiefs to make rapid improvement. But four of them were inherited by Pioli's regime, and that haul of Pro Bowl players may have been Crennel's biggest indictment.

The only other teams with at least five players voted to the all-star game made the playoffs.

The Chiefs' inept offense managed 18 touchdowns in 16 games, finished minus-24 in turnover ratio and lost nine times by two touchdowns or more. Along the way, they broke an 83-year-old NFL record by not holding a lead in regulation until their ninth game.

Crennel, whose career record as a head coach is 28-55, was hired in 2010 to be the Chiefs' defensive coordinator. Respected by his players, he was appointed interim coach last December when Pioli fired Todd Haley with three games left in the season.

Crennel immediately brought a sense of stability to a floundering franchise, defeating the previously unbeaten Green Bay Packers and winning at Denver in the season finale -- after which, players spontaneously started chanting his name in the visiting locker room.

"That's my guy. Everybody knows that," defensive tackle Shaun Smith said. "That's not only my coach, that's my role model. My father figure. We don't just talk football, we talk life."

With the support of the players, Pioli made Crennel the permanent coach a few weeks later, giving him another opportunity as a head coach after going 24-40 in four seasons with the Browns.

The season wound up being a disappointment from the start.

The Chiefs were blown out by the Falcons in their opener, trounced on the road by the Bills and needed an 18-point comeback to force overtime in their win over the Saints.

Then a stretch of eight consecutive defeats.

Empty seats began to multiply at Arrowhead Stadium, once one of the most intimidating venues in the NFL. An organized fan rebellion paid for banners to be towed behind airplanes asking for Pioli to be fired, and the majority of fans dressed in black for a home game against Cincinnati.

Nothing Crennel did seemed to work, either.

He began the season as the defensive coordinator, but fired himself and turned those duties over to linebackers coach Gary Gibbs. He benched Matt Cassel, in the fourth year of a $63 million contract, and went with Brady Quinn, who played just as poorly the rest of the season.

Injuries were numerous, turnovers plentiful, penalties crippling and blown assignments became the hallmark of a team that was rarely in games into the fourth quarter.

Then came the morning of Dec. 1, when tragedy struck.

Belcher, a part-time starter, shot the mother of his 3-month-old daughter, Kasandra Perkins, multiple times at a home not far from Arrowhead Stadium. The linebacker then sped to the team's practice facility and was confronted by Pioli, who tried to talk him out of more violence.

After thanking Pioli and Crennel for his chance in the NFL, Belcher shot himself in the head.

The Chiefs played the following day against Carolina, and Crennel was praised for the way he stoically led a team in turmoil. Kansas City put together its best performance in a 27-21 victory.

It wound up being their last win, though.

The Chiefs were blown out by Cleveland, shut out by Oakland and beaten by the Colts before an embarrassing season finale against the Broncos.

It was enough to finish Crennel, and enough to put Pioli's future in jeopardy.

"I want our fans to know that I will do everything I can to provide them a dramatically better team," Hunt said, "both next season and in the seasons to come."

Buffalo Bills fire coach Chan Gailey

Chan Gailey has been fired by the Buffalo Bills after three losing seasons.

The announcement was made Monday, a day after the Bills closed out another disappointing season with a 28-9 win over the New York Jets.

Buffalo finished 6-10, and Gailey leaves with a 16-32 record. There was no immediate word on the status of general manager Buddy Nix.

In a hopeful season after signing star defensive end Mario Williams to a $100 million contract, the Bills reverted to their ways of the past, failing to make the playoffs for a 13th straight year, the NFL's longest active drought.

Gailey met with his players during the team's annual exit meetings and informed at least one of his players that he expected to be fired.

Gailey addressed reporters for a little over a minute, and declined to take questions.

He thanked both Nix and team owner Ralph Wilson for the opportunity, and said he understood the reasons behind the decision. Gailey also announced that his entire staff had been fired.

"I understand this is a business. We didn't get the job done," Gailey said, reading from a Bills pad on which he had jotted down a few notes. "I've been called two other times to get things turned around, was able to do it. We weren't able to get this one done soon enough and I understand that completely."

Gailey's eyes then welled with tears when he credited Bills fans for their loyalty, and Buffalo for being a passionate football city.

"I think that the next staff will have a great opportunity for success, and make this another great football franchise," Gailey said. "This will probably be, and I say probably, but I think it will be the first place that's ever fired me that I'll pull for."

Gailey had at least one more season left on his contract.

It's the latest twirl of the coaching carousel in Buffalo.

The Bills are on their fifth coaching search since Wade Phillips was fired following the 2001 season. Phillips, who took over in 1998 after Hall of Famer Marv Levy retired, was the last coach to get the Bills to the playoffs. That was in the 1999 season, when Buffalo lost the AFC wild-card playoff to Tennessee on a last-second kickoff return, the "Music City Miracle."

Gailey took over in January 2010 after a tumultuous season in which Dick Jauron was fired in November, leaving defensive coordinator Perry Fewell to finish out the season on an interim basis.

It's unclear whether Nix will be overseeing the next coaching search. Nix was at the Bills' facility on Monday.

This was Gailey's second NFL head coaching job. He went a combined 18-16 in two seasons at Dallas before being fired following the 1999 season despite leading the Cowboys to the playoffs each year. He spent six years as head coach at Georgia Tech, where he had a 44-32 record before being fired after the 2007 season.

Browns fire coach Pat Shurmur, GM Tom Heckert

The Browns are changing again.

One day after ending yet another dismal season with a loss in Pittsburgh, Cleveland fired coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Tom Heckert, the first moves in what is expected to be a massive offseason overhaul by new owner Jimmy Haslam.

The Browns just can't seem to get it right.

The firings of Shurmur and Heckert signal the start of a renovation by Haslam and CEO Joe Banner, who will immediately begin looking for replacements.

"We felt that these moves were in the best interests of the Cleveland Browns and our future," Haslam said in a statement. "I enjoyed getting to know Tom and Pat over the past several months, and want to thank them, not just for their contributions to the Browns, but also the insight they were able to provide."

Already, the list of possible coaches to take over for Shurmur includes some of college football's top names. Haslam may want to make a big splash and land either Alabama's Nick Saban or Oregon's Chip Kelly, who both still have bowl games ahead. Penn State's Bill O'Brien is also believed to be on the Browns' short list.

There is also reported interest in several NFL assistants including Indianapolis' Bruce Arians, New England's Josh McDaniels, Denver's Mike McCoy, Washington's Kyle Shanahan and Cincinnati's Jay Gruden.

Among the general manager candidates are: Atlanta player personnel director David Caldwell, San Francisco director of player personnel Tom Gamble, Baltimore assistant GM Eric DeCosta and NFL Network analyst and Mike Lombardi, who worked with Banner in Philadelphia and for the Browns when Bill Belichick was Cleveland's coach.

Banner promised in a recent interview with The Associated Press not to put any limits on his search for a new coach.

"It doesn't have to be a college coach," said Banner, who hired Andy Reid during his 19 seasons with the Eagles. "It doesn't have to be a pro coach. It doesn't have to be an offensive guy. It doesn't have to be a defensive guy. I'm more looking for qualities of a person consistent with the most successful coaches."

Shurmur's replacement will be the Browns' sixth coach since 1999.

The Browns were competitive this season under Shurmur. They just didn't win enough.

Cleveland was still in the playoff mix earlier this month, but a three-game losing streak to close the season -- they were blown out by Washington and Denver in consecutive weeks -- ended any chance of Shurmur saving his job.

Shurmur, who was emotional when he addressed the Browns following Sunday's loss, leaves the team with some satisfaction.

"I am extremely proud of the players on this team, who I felt made tremendous strides and helped to make the Cleveland Browns relevant again," Shurmur said in a release. "I want to thank them, as well as my entire coaching staff for making the past two years enjoyable. My coaches are outstanding teachers and even better men. They helped me lead these players through a unique time of transition.

"This group of players will achieve success soon, and there will be a part of me that will feel very good when that happens."

Shurmur's fate may have been sealed on the first day of training camp in July when Haslam's intent to buy the Browns from Randy Lerner for $1 billion was announced. It may not have mattered how Shurmur did this season because Haslam, a former minority owner with the Pittsburgh Steelers who built his fortune with Flying Pilot J travel centers, was intent on bringing in his own people.

Banner's arrival forced out president Mike Holmgren, who hired both Shurmur and Heckert but left before the end of his third year with Cleveland.

Shumrur, who has two years remaining on his contract, was dealt a difficult hand from the start.

His first season with the Browns was complicated by the labor lockout, depriving him a chance to work with his players in the offseason or installing his offensive and defensive systems. He chose not to hire an offensive coordinator, holding down both positions in his first year, a decision he later said was a mistake.

Shurmur made his share of mistakes. He had some game-management issues and his play calling was often questioned. However, the 47-year-old seemed to be getting better in his second season, and he deserves credit for developing one of the league's youngest teams. The Browns had 17 rookies and 26 players with two years or less of experience on their roster.

Heckert, who came to Cleveland from Philadelphia, succeeded in upgrading the Browns' talent. He overhauled an aging team, infusing the Browns with solid young players through the draft. In April, he selected running back Trent Richardson, quarterback Brandon Weeden and offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz, all of whom had solid first pro seasons.

Heckert also gambled and nabbed wide receiver Josh Gordon in the supplemental draft, a choice that seemed risky but paid off as the 21-year-old blossomed.

But it may have been a move Heckert couldn't pull off that doomed him.

The Browns were beaten out by Washington in the sweepstakes to get prized rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III. Cleveland tried to package picks to swap with the Rams, who eventually made a blockbuster deal with the Redskins who then drafted RGIII with the second overall choice.

Heckert, who was Holmgren's first hire with Cleveland, thought he would have five years to build the Browns but wound up getting just three. It's expected Heckert will quickly be scooped up as more than one dozen teams are expected to have front-office openings.

Ryan stays as Jets coach, GM Tannenbaum fired

Rex Ryan will be back coaching the New York Jets next season, but he'll be working with a new general manager.

The Jets fired GM Mike Tannenbaum on Monday, one day after the team finished off a dismal 6-10 season with a 28-9 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Jets owner Woody Johnson called the season a "disappointment to all of us.

" My goal every year as owner is to build a team that wins consistently. This year, we failed to achieve that goal," Johnson said in a statement. "Like all Jets fans, I am disappointed with this year's results. However, I am confident that this change will best position our team for greater success going forward."

In deciding to stick with Ryan, Johnson said "I believe that he has the passion, the talent, and the drive to successfully lead our team."

The Jets were a team in turmoil from the moment they acquired quarterback Tim Tebow in a trade with Denver before the season. The move was made by Tannenbaum, and failed in just about every way.

Tebow was brought in as a backup for Mark Sanchez and expected to play a key role in certain offensive schemes. He played sparingly, and spent several weeks out of the lineup with injured ribs.

Meanwhile, Sanchez was having a poor season, the Jets kept losing and Tebow never got a chance to be the No. 1 quarterback.

Tannenbaum was the Jets' GM for seven seasons, including two trips to the AFC championship game. He had two years left on his contract, but Johnson made the change after the Jets failed to make the playoffs for a second year in a row.

Tannenbaum had been with the Jets since 1997, when he was hired as the team's director of player contract negotiations. He served in various other roles before becoming general manager and replacing Terry Bradway in 2006.

With a knack for navigating the NFL's salary cap, Tannenbaum was never afraid to make splashy signings or trades -- Tebow, Brett Favre, LaDainian Tomlinson, Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress, to name a few. He also made his mark on draft day, bringing in some of the team's best players such as Darrelle Revis, Nick Mangold, D'Brickashaw Ferguson and David Harris. But Tannenbaum had more misses than hit in recent drafts, with Vernon Gholston, Vladimir Ducasse and even Sanchez high-round picks that didn't perform as expected.

The trade for Tebow was perhaps the biggest mistake. By acquiring Tebow last March, the Jets brought in a player with immense popularity to provide a spark to the offense -- just a matter of days after giving Sanchez a contract extension that included $8.25 million in guarantees for next season.

Tebow hardly saw the field in his one, and likely only, season with the Jets. And when he did, he wasn't very effective. His lack of use was a season-long storyline that provided an unnecessary distraction to a team in need of locker room stability after in-fighting derailed its 2011 season.

Many fans and media argued that rather than trade for Tebow, Tannenbaum could have addressed some of the Jets' more-pressing needs, such as the offensive line, wide receiver and depth on defense.

The next general manager will face an unstable salary cap situation, along with a dozen players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents, including starters Dustin Keller, LaRon Landry, Yeremiah Bell, Shonn Greene and Brandon Moore.

Jaguars fire GM Gene Smith after 4 seasons

The Jacksonville Jaguars fired general manager Gene Smith on Monday after four disappointing seasons, including the worst year in franchise history.

Coach Mike Mularkey could be next.

Owner Shad Khan is waiting to decide Mularkey's fate until he hires a new general manager, which could happen this week.

Mularkey failed to make the Jaguars (2-14) better in his first season, setting a team record for losses and dropping eight games by 16 or more points.

Smith was the architect of the roster. He had been with the team since its inception in 1994, working his way up from regional scout to general manager. He became GM since 2009, compiling a 22-42 record while failing to acquire a single player who made the Pro Bowl.

"Now it is time for the Jacksonville Jaguars to begin a new chapter," Khan said in a statement. "We're not looking back. I've made it clear from Day One that we pledge nothing less than to deliver the first Super Bowl championship to Jacksonville. Our fans have been remarkably loyal over the years, and they were truly outstanding this past season. We simply must do better for our fans."

Khan said the search for a new GM will begin immediately.

Arizona director of player personnel Jason Licht, San Francisco director of player personnel Tom Gamble and Atlanta director of player personnel David Caldwell have been mentioned as potential replacements.

"I'm determined to find the right man to lead our football operations, someone who shares my vision, understands the commitment we will demand and is qualified and ready to seize this opportunity," Khan said.

Smith's most glaring mistakes came in the draft, where he whiffed on offensive tackle Eben Britton (39th overall pick in 2009), defensive tackle Tyson Alualu (10th pick in 2010) and quarterback Blaine Gabbert (10th pick in 2011). Smith traded up to select Gabbert even though several teams with quarterback needs passed on the former Missouri starter.

He also drafted a punter in the third round in April, a move that was mocked locally and nationally.

Equally alarming for Khan had to be Smith's penchant for overpaying in free agency and signing relatively inexpensive guys who failed to produce.

He gave aging receiver Torry Holt a three-year deal that guaranteed him $4 million in 2009. Holt caught 51 passes, but didn't score and was released after one season.

Defensive end Aaron Kampman got a four-year, $25 million deal the following year. Kampman's balky knee was the main reason he was on the market. It also was a big part of why he played just 11 games in Jacksonville.

In 2011, following the NFL lockout, Smith spent big on positions that were not glamour spots -- signing linebacker Paul Posluszny (6 years, $42 million), linebacker Clint Session (5 years, $30 million) and safety Dawan Landry (5 years, $27.5 million). Session is out of the league after three concussions in 2011.

Smith really opened the wallet this past offseason, signing receiver Laurent Robinson to a five-year, $32.5 million contract that included $14 million guaranteed and giving cornerback Aaron Ross a three-year, $15.3 million deal.

Both looked like reaches at the time and seem even less impressive nine months later.

Robinson was a one-year wonder in Dallas, scoring 11 touchdowns in 2011, after being cut by St. Louis and the Cowboys. The Jaguars could have signed him off the street either time, but instead waited until his big season to become interested. He lost his starting job to Cecil Shorts III and ended up on injured reserve following his fourth concussion. He finished with 24 receptions for 252 yards and no scores.

Ross, meanwhile, was a backup with the Giants who got thrown into the starting lineup because of injuries. He won a Super Bowl last season, but his coverage issues were disguised by the league's best pass rush. He struggled at times in Jacksonville and ended up playing behind rookie Mike Harris down the stretch.

Smith did hit on some players -- including left tackle Eugene Monroe (eighth pick in 2009), cornerback Derek Cox (73rd pick in 2009) and receivers Cecil Shorts (114th pick in 2011) and Justin Blackmon (fifth pick in 2012) -- but none of those starters have become stars. And Smith gave up a second-round pick to get Cox and a fourth-rounder to trade up and get Blackmon.

Other questionable moves include giving receiver Mike Thomas a contract extension after two-plus seasons and signing tight end Marcedes Lewis to a five-year, $35 million contract after a breakout season. And Smith's policy of bringing in only those with strong character never paid dividends.

Smith's most controversial act came in April, when he chose punter Bryan Anger in the third round (70th pick). Anger was terrific as a rookie, but adding him never seemed like the best call for a team that needed talent and depth at so many other positions.

Smith defended the pick by saying he would "rather take a starter over a backup." Terry McDonough, the team's personnel director, challenged reporters to compare Anger to other third-rounders in four years and see who has been more productive.

Eight months later, quarterback Russell Wilson (75th pick) has Seattle in the playoffs.