Playoff failure spelled end for John Fox

[Northman]

http://espn.go.com/blog/denver-broncos/post/_/id/11363/playoff-failure-spelled-end-for-john-fox


ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- At first blush, it looks like some kind of off-kilter football math.

How do 46 regular-season wins plus four consecutive AFC West titles plus three 12-win seasons not equal success for the Denver Broncos (http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/den/denver-broncos)? They did equal some success, including four straight trips to the playoffs and a few commercials for Denver's well-known quarterback.

But the totals did not equal the success executive vice president of football operations and GM John Elway wants. And, they are not what Elway thinks owner Pat Bowlen would want from him



That list is short and clear: a Super Bowl trophy.

"The bottom line is this organization, and what Pat Bowlen wants from this organization -- that has not changed and it will not change," Elway said two days after the Broncos' lopsided loss in Super Bowl XLVIII last February. "The bottom line is we're going to work as hard as we worked this year, if not harder, and continue to do that with the mindset that we want to be world champions and we're going to do everything we can to get there."

So less than 24 hours after the Broncos lost to the Indianapolis Colts (http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/ind/indianapolis-colts) in the AFC divisional round, three wins short of their goal, coach John Fox met with Elway. And now, Fox is no longer the team's coach. It was formally announced as a parting of ways, but here's part of Elway's statement, and it's going to look familiar:


While we have made significant progress under Coach Fox, there is still work to be done. I believe this change at the head coaching position will be in the best interest of our long-term goal, which from day one has been to win World Championships. Our organization is fully dedicated to reaching Pat Bowlen's high standards for his team as we begin the process of finding the next head coach to lead the Denver Broncos.



That's the math, as in one goal, one trophy. Everybody in the league says they want it. But Elway and the Broncos just walked the talk.

[BroncoJoe]

If the reports are true that Fox leaked Glaizer's story before the game on Sunday, you have to wonder if there is more to the Broncos losing than guys just playing bad. If he wanted out, or another HC job, the last thing he'd want to do is go on a long playoff run.

Just thinking outside the box.

[Northman]

If the reports are true that Fox leaked Glaizer's story before the game on Sunday, you have to wonder if there is more to the Broncos losing than guys just playing bad. If he wanted out, or another HC job, the last thing he'd want to do is go on a long playoff run.

Just thinking outside the box.

Agreed. If that is true it kind of really pisses me off even more. Like, losing doesnt really have me up in a bind but the whole injury thing with Peyton and now this stuff leaves me a bit more miffed about it all than i should be.

[Joel]

If the reports are true that Fox leaked Glaizer's story before the game on Sunday, you have to wonder if there is more to the Broncos losing than guys just playing bad. If he wanted out, or another HC job, the last thing he'd want to do is go on a long playoff run.

Just thinking outside the box.
Been thinking similarly, especially after Harris made that comment about the whole locker room EXPECTING to lose before the game even STARTED. Maybe I'm misreading the tea leaves and reading too MUCH into hearsay, but it sounds like Fox quit on the team before the postseason even started, already telling media pals to put the word out he'd be mailing out resumes as soon as he finished blowing our only playoff game. Beats me why any team would want to hire a head coach like that; Fox (or any GOOD coach) would cut any player who pulled that, and rightly so.

Most bizarre thing is the idea Fox expecting a better gig somewhere. I mean, a league-high NINE Pro Bowlers, including a first ballot HoFer at QB, likely another at DE and a former DRoY in his prime? If you can't win playoff games with THAT, Fox, good luck finding a team "good enough" YOUR meager abilities and blasé attitude can take it all the way. Good riddance; too bad it's too late for Manning & Champ.

[TimHippo]

There's something wrong with that guy. That's why Fox never was a champion.

[Poet]

Why would Fox want out? The fanbase is good, he's well paid, his team is good. Is there any reason/s that are known as to why he wanted to jet?

[Northman]

Why would Fox want out? The fanbase is good, he's well paid, his team is good. Is there any reason/s that are known as to why he wanted to jet?

Nothing concrete. I think the general consensus is that he and Elway had some differences about how to take the team to another level. Butting of heads i guess.

[Poet]

Nothing concrete. I think the general consensus is that he and Elway had some differences about how to take the team to another level. Butting of heads i guess.

Ah, so that's what they meant by the opportunities for both Fox and Denver. They butt heads, they disagree, and during the offseason that just started for them Fox sees several teams that he likes and Denver sees several candidates that they like.

It doesn't reek of the theory that Fox was sabotaging the Broncos to get out via Glazer and it shows that Elway is proactive. Neither dude is the 'bad guy'. Looks like a cleaner split than originally thought. That's cool.

[Simple Jaded]

At the very least I think this highlights how much coaches are married to their philosophy, ever since Fox has been here he's been going against his instincts since about week 6 in 2011. The most extreme polar opposites too, going from Tebow's abomination to Manning's 60 attempts a game.

I'm thinking Fox just wanted to get back to Foxball, I can't blame him for that.

[DenBronx]

I get why Elway fired Fox. I don't necessarily agree with the move and not sure we can get a better HC, the markets rather weak.

But I get it. He wanted to see fight in our last two losses and we basically played like it didn't matter. It sure as hell matters when you go ALL-IN like we have. We want to win now. Not get punched in the mouth and roll over. The Colts are not better, they are coached and prepared better. No way in hell we should lose and it's unacceptable to lose 43-8 with the most prolific offense in NFL history. That's how royally we sucked in the SB. Elways anger carried over to this last Colts loss. That Rams game didnt help either.

[ShaneFalco]

i think they were going to fire him if they lost to NE still.

[CrazyHorse]

One year too late. Should have happened last February after the Super Bowl.

[vettesplus]

One year too late. Should have happened last February after the Super Bowl.

:congrats: this post has to be the best thing said anywhere on this board sense Monday morning!!!

[Cugel]

Been thinking similarly, especially after Harris made that comment about the whole locker room EXPECTING to lose before the game even STARTED. Maybe I'm misreading the tea leaves and reading too MUCH into hearsay, but it sounds like Fox quit on the team before the postseason even started, already telling media pals to put the word out he'd be mailing out resumes as soon as he finished blowing our only playoff game. Beats me why any team would want to hire a head coach like that; Fox (or any GOOD coach) would cut any player who pulled that, and rightly so.

Most bizarre thing is the idea Fox expecting a better gig somewhere. I mean, a league-high NINE Pro Bowlers, including a first ballot HoFer at QB, likely another at DE and a former DRoY in his prime? If you can't win playoff games with THAT, Fox, good luck finding a team "good enough" YOUR meager abilities and blasé attitude can take it all the way. Good riddance; too bad it's too late for Manning & Champ.

You're right about this Joel. Foxy is going to the Bears, too!

Talk about a dis-functional situation!

They just gave Cutler a 7 year deal that just screws them royally if they let him go. But, how can they keep him? From Rotoworld:


Still owed a guaranteed $25.5 million on the seven-year deal signed last offseason, Cutler's contract appears to be trade prohibitive. Schefter's sources believe the Bears could offset the big guarantees by offering Cutler AND a draft pick to prospective trade partners. NFL rules dictate the Bears would have to receive some compensation in return, but Chicago could get around the rule by accepted a late-round pick in exchange for Cutler and a better pick. It would be a high price to pay to offload a talented quarterback, but with coach Marc Trestman likely finished after the season, Chicago may simply press the reset button. Sat, Dec 20,

I.E. the Bears would not only have to dump Cutler, they'd have to bribe some team with a draft pick just to take him off their hands. Not many likely takers for that deal!


Cutler's 2015 base salary is $15.5 million, all of which is guaranteed. Although there has already been much speculation regarding Cutler's next-season whereabouts, no decisions will be made until the Bears decide on a new corps of decision makers. Ultimately, we suspect Cutler will stay in Chicago because he is very difficult to trade, and would create far too big a cap hit to release. Sun, Dec 28, 2014 04:05:00 PM

How big a cap hit did you ask? This big!


1/2/2014: Signed a seven-year, $126.7 million contract. The deal contains $54 million guaranteed -- each of Cutler's first three base salaries. (http://www.rotoworld.com/teams/contracts/nfl/chi/bears)There was no signing bonus. 2014: $17.5 million (+ $5 million "signing" bonus), 2015: $15.5 million, 2016: $16 million, 2017: $12.5 million (+ $2.5 million in per-game roster bonuses), 2018: $13.5 million (+ $2.5 million in per-game roster bonuses), 2019: $17.5 million (+ $2.5 million in per-game roster bonuses), 2020: $19.2 million (+ $2.5 million in per-game roster bonuses), 2021: Free Agent

Good luck with that Foxy! Don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out of town! :wave:

[Joel]

Coach quits on is teams season so he's not too late to get a job coaching a team infamous for quitting on seasons; that's genius and has success written all over it. At least in Chicago Fox won't have to worry about anymore playoff failures....

[7DnBrnc53]

Coach quits on is teams season so he's not too late to get a job coaching a team infamous for quitting on seasons; that's genius and has success written all over it. At least in Chicago Fox won't have to worry about anymore playoff failures....

Now Fox will work for some great owners in the McCaskey's. Couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy :rolleyes:.