Vowing that “I run the show,” Broncos owner Pat Bowlen today said good bye to Mike Shanahan as his head coach.
Bowlen wouldn’t specify why he fired Shanahan after 14 seasons, saying simply that “It was time for the organization to move on and for Mike to move on.”
Bowlen said he came to the decision to dump the winningest coach in franchise history after considerable soul searching. He wouldn’t speculate whether the move would have gone down if Shanahan had been able to get the Broncos into the playoffs instead of missing the postseason for a third consecutive year.
“In 25 years, this is as tough as it gets,” he said. “This is a very difficult day for me.”
Bowlen denied that the decision came after Shanahan’s refusal to fire defensive coordinator Bob Slowik. He said he didn’t anticipate any members of the coaching staff staying in Shanahan’s absence, but later acknowledged that some could stay, with quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates all but assured to be retained.
As for Shanahan’s replacement, Bowlen said he hadn’t contacted any candidates. But any notion that Bowlen would pursue such big names as Bill Cowher or Bill Parcells to be coach or general manager was doused when Bowlen said he anticipated keeping intact the Broncos’ personnel department.
That would be vice president of football operations Jim Goodman and assistant general managers Jeff Goodman and Brian Xanders. Those three will run the Broncos’ 2009 draft, during which the team will have nine picks.
Bowlen made it very clear that his emphasis was on hiring a new coach, not a GM. He said he would consider “the whole panacea of coaches,” but all indications are that he wouldn’t hire a coach from the college ranks.
As for whether he might become the next Jerry Jones, an owner who dabbles in personnel decisions, Bowlen was adamant: “Hell, no.”
Jim Armstrong: 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com
