The Other Shoes Drop

If its the Monday after the end of the regular season in the NFL then you can bet that some Head Coaches and GMs are getting fired. I will update the list all day but so far the Grim Reaper has visited these guys:

Romeo Crennel Browns

Randy Savage Browns

Rod Marinelli Lions

Eric Mangini Jets


Update I: On a happier note we find that Martin Mayhew has been promoted to GM by the Lions. Congratulations to Mayhew who becomes I believe only the second third black GM in NFL history *, he has definitely earned it.

Update II: In what I would say is a some what shocking move the Denver Broncos have fired Mike Shanahan.

After 14 seasons and two Super Bowl wins, Mike Shanahan is out in Denver.

The Broncos fired Shanahan on Tuesday, parting ways with the coach after three consecutive seasons of failing to make the playoffs. Shanahan had three years and upwards of $20 million remaining on his contract, according to NFL Network's Adam Schefter.

The move was announced in a statement by team owner Pat Bowlen.

"After giving this careful consideration, I have concluded that a change in our football operations is in the best interests of the Denver Broncos," Bowlen said. "This is certainly a difficult decision, but one that I feel must be made and which will ultimately be in the best interests of all concerned.

Update III: In the spirit of the long time tradition of recycling head coaches in the NFL, ESPN reported today that the Cleveland Browns will announce that they have hired Eric Mangini to lead their team:

The Cleveland Browns have agreed to hire former New York Jets head coach Eric Mangini as their head coach.

Mangini, fired last week by the Jets, agreed to a four-year deal, a source close to the situation told ESPN.com's Michael Smith on Wednesday.

A person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press that Mangini will be introduced Thursday at a news conference at the team's headquarters in Berea.

Mangini began his NFL career as a ballboy with the Browns in 1994 under then-coach Bill Belichick. Now he's taking over the job of one of his best friends in football, fired Browns coach Romeo Crennel.

Mangini went 23-25 and made the playoffs once in three seasons with the Jets, who stumbled down the stretch to lose four of their last five games and miss the playoffs after an 8-3 start.

His tenure in New York was tumultuous. When he arrived, Mangini inherited a 4-12 Jets team and led them to 10 wins in his first season, prompting New York's tabloids to dub him "Mangenius." By the end of his run in the NFL's largest market, he was being called moody, dour and controlling.

Update IV: The Broncos have now announced the hiring of Josh McDaniels as Head Coach. From ESPN

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Josh McDaniels, the man behind the New England Patriots' scoring machine, inherits an offense in Denver that needs only an oil change.

snip

What I was trying to do was pick the best guy," Bowlen said. "It didn't matter really that much whether it was an offensive or defensive guy, he's going to be the head coach. I think Josh has the ability to go out and find a very good defensive coordinator."

McDaniels helped the defensive staff in New England for three seasons before serving as quarterbacks coach in 2004. Bill Belichick promoted him to offensive coordinator in 2006, and his career took off.

"I'd like to personally thank Bill Belichick for providing me my foundation in this league and for mentoring me for eight years," McDaniels said at his introductory news conference Monday night.

Under his guidance, Tom Brady threw for a record 50 touchdowns in '07 and came within a whisker of the NFL's first 19-0 season. McDaniels' reputation grew stronger in '08 when Brady was lost with a knee injury in the opener and Matt Cassel, who hadn't started a game since high school, led the Patriots to an 11-5 record.

"Josh McDaniels is one of the finest people and brightest, most talented coaches I have ever worked with," Belichick said in a statement. "Since joining us eight years ago, Josh performed a variety of roles and excelled in every one of them."

McDaniels agreed to a four-year deal believed to be worth about $8 million to replace Shanahan, who was fired 48 hours after the Broncos became the first team in league history to blow a three-game divisional lead with three weeks left.

Update V: Gotta say I didn't see this one coming. The Lions have picked Tennessee Titans Defensive coordinator to be their new head coach.

From ESPN

The Detroit Lions have reached an agreement in principle with Jim Schwartz to become their next head coach.

Schwartz, the Tennessee Titans' defensive coordinator for the past eight seasons, has agreed in principle to a four-year contract, sources told ESPN.

The Lions will hold an introductory news conference for Schwartz on Friday.

"After an extensive search that included several highly qualified coaches, we are thrilled that Jim Schwartz will become our team's head coach," Lions president Tom Lewand said in a statement Thursday. "Martin [Mayhew, Lions general manager] and I believe that Jim's qualifications and vision will lead this organization on the field toward our goal of becoming a championship football team."

Update VI: Damn that was fast. The Bucs announced today that they have replaced Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen with Raheem Morris and Mark Dominek respectively. I have to say that I like Morris a lot but I am not necessarily sold on him being the head guy. He has never been a head coach on any level and he was only a coordinator for one year in college. In point of fact he only has 2 years of being a full time position coach on his resume in the NFL. But I wish him all the best.

From ESPN:

TAMPA, Fla. -- A day after abruptly firing Super Bowl winner Jon Gruden, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have introduced Raheem Morris as their new coach.

Morris inherits a team that won three division titles under his predecessor but has hasn't won a playoff game since capturing the franchise's only NFL title in January 2003. The Gruden era ended with four consecutive losses that denied the Bucs a postseason spot following a 9-3 start.

snip

Mark Dominik is the new general manager. He has been with the team since 1995 and replaces Bruce Allen, who was fired Friday.

Update VII: The Rams have hired Steve Spagnulo, the Giants D Coordinator to be their next head coach.

From ESPN:

Steve Spagnuolo, who spent two seasons as the New York Giants' defensive coordinator, has been hired by the St. Louis Rams to be their next coach.

Spagnuolo, 49, agreed to a four-year deal worth about $12 million, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Spagnuolo replaces Jim Haslett and takes over a team that finished 2-14. Haslett went 2-10 as interim coach after his promotion from defensive coordinator when Scott Linehan was fired following an 0-4 start.
Spagnuolo was the architect of the Giants' sack-happy defense that thwarted New England's run to a perfect season in last year's Super Bowl upset.

Updates VIII and VIV: The Jets have hired defensive guru Rex Ryan, formerly the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens as their new Head Coach. The Chiefs have fired Head Coach Herm Edwards.

* commenter Amitav points out that Rick Smith the GM of the Texans for the last 3 years was actually the second black GM in NFL history.