Lions fire Mornhinweg after two poor seasons -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ESPN.com news services ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Marty Mornhinweg was fired as coach of the Detroit Lions on Monday after a 3-13 season, the second-worst record in the NFL, the team has confirmed. The team called a news conference for 3:30 p.m. ET to announce the move. The firing was first reported by radio station WXYT in Detroit. No successor will be named at the news conference. The Lions plan to go through the process of finding a new coach as outlined by NFL guidelines. Steve Mariucci, who was fired by the 49ers earlier this month, is available. However, sources close to Mariucci have told ESPN that he has not been contacted by the Lions regarding their vacancy. The sources also said that Mariucci is uncertain whether he wants to coach next season. Detroit was 5-27 under Mornhinweg over the last two seasons, including a road record of 0-16. The Lions lost their last eight games this season, and only Cincinnati finished with a worse record. Lions chief executive Matt Millen, with the blessing of team owner William Clay Ford Sr., said on Dec. 31 that Mornhinweg would return as coach. Instead, Mornhinweg became the fifth NFL coach to be fired since the end of the season, following dismissals at Cincinnati, Dallas, Jacksonville and San Francisco. Mornhinweg matched Chris Palmer's two-year record of futility for a new coach since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978. Palmer coached the Cleveland Browns in 1999 and 2000. Palmer, though, was coaching an expansion team. Mornhinweg took over a team that went 9-7 and narrowly missed the playoffs. Mornhinweg had never been a head coach at any level before taking the job with the Lions. He was widely criticized this season for choosing to take the wind instead of the ball after the Lions won an overtime coin toss against Chicago. The Bears got the kickoff and drove to the winning field goal. When Mornhinweg was hired he set the team's sights on a first Super Bowl trip. The Lions have had only one playoff victory since winning the 1957 NFL title. "The bar is high,'' he said. "The goal for this organization is to win Super Bowls.'' Mornhinweg had insisted the team's weak record stemmed from failed drafts from the previous regime, along with aging or injured players. The past two years, the Lions have gotten rid of five one-time first-round picks -- Herman Moore, Johnnie Morton, Bryant Westbrook, Terry Fair and Aaron Gibson. The Lions also lost Ron Rice, Kurt Schulz and Stephen Boyd to career-ending injuries. The Lions will have the second pick in April's draft, and expect to have enough salary-cap space to sign a couple free agents. The Lions began the season excited about rookie quarterback Joey Harrington and returning downtown from suburban Pontiac for the first time since 1974 to play at Ford Field. Harrington, the third pick in the draft, showed some flashes after he became a starter in Week 3, but he regressed before being sidelined with an irregular heartbeat in the 14th game. It was only a matter of time. Millen gave up on him fast, and rightfully so after the coin flip OT incident. But would Mooch really want to tackle Detroit? It might be fun to see Harrington develop under his tutelage.
That guy should have gotten the boot when he rode out of training camp last year on the Harley to make a point. Nothing makes me laugh more than goof ball trying to look cool on a Harley.
Thank GOD!!!! As a Lions fan (2nd to Texans), I have been calling for his head since his first week here. Mornhinweg is a complete buffoon as a coach, and has no reason to even be considered for anything other than a field-line painter. 99% of all football fans could've coached better . . . he took a team that just about made the playoffs the previous year, and had made the playoffs the few years before and turned them into the worst team in the NFL. Absolutely disgraceful! A few weeks ago, they said that Monhinweg was coming back, and I was ready for another 0-16 run . . . glad they came to their senses and dropped that joke of a coach! I would love to see Mariucci there . . .
I agree that Mornhinweg was not happening. They need a good (great) coach because the Lions have a potential super-stud QB in Harrington....if he is developed properly. The right coach can make it happen. Time for Matt Millen to earn his money as a front-office man.
Crap. Mornhinweg's (Tweedle-Dee) firing is a definite blow to the possibility of the Lions making a bonehead draft decision (thereby benefitting the Texans, who draft one spot below). Well, on the bright side, as long as the Lions have Matt Millen (Tweedle-Dumb), the Texans still have a decent shot at Charles Rogers.
How ridiculous is this? On the day after the Super Bowl, "Around the Horn's" first topic of discussion is a hypothetical "what is your opinion if we pretend that Mooch accepted the Detroit job" what a joke! Making up stories to create discussion!
Sadly, there is absolutely NOTHING else to do at 4pm everyday and I love sports too much to not spend one minute of the day involved in it either through watching, listening, reading, or writing.
It's all about PTI at 5:00 maybe 5:30 cant remember because i havent been able to watch it because i have basketball practice after school everyday.
Yup, that's my absolute favorite show on television. I never EVER miss it. It comes on here (Austin) at 4:30CST. Since there is nothing on at 4, I force myself to watch "ATH" I'm a sports junkie, I admit it.
Hey nothin wrong with being a sports junkie on the weekends i usually watch two sportscenters even though there the same thing just cuz theres nothing else on. I love seeing Kilborn and Konrheiser argue, so funny. Cant wait to start watching it again after bball season, i dont feel like taping it, thats just me.
