Josh McDaniels...Not to fire!
In just his second year with the Denver Broncos, head coach Josh McDaniels has come under fire due to a 3-8 record that has all but eliminated the Broncos from playoff contention. The Broncos have won just 1 of their last 7 games after starting the season 2-2.
McDaniels has made some personnel changes, over the past few seasons, that have left most of us scratching our heads. However, two full seasons is not enough time to determine if a coach can get the job done. In the NFL, it typically takes a good three seasons to prove yourself as a head coach.
On the other hand, Bill Belichick experienced three losing seasons in his first three seasons in Cleveland from '91-'93 only to rebound in '94 by leading the Browns to an 11-5 record and a playoff appearance. Belichick's final year in Cleveland (1995) would finish with a 5-11 record. Who would have thought that a head coach with a 36-44 record and only one playoff appearance in 5 full seasons would eventually lead the New England Patriots to 3 Super Bowl titles in 4 appearances? Belichick has had 5 losing seasons in his coaching career, yet is considered to be the best coach in the NFL and one of the best of all-time.
McDaniels' career NFL coaching record is 11-16. Wanna take a guess at Bill Belichick's record through his first 27 games in the NFL? 11-16, my friends. So, before we start firing young coaches before they've even completed two full seasons, let's put everything into perspective. McDaniels is young, he is learning, and he's not coaching in Cleveland. See...there is a bright side to this story.
By the way, McDaniels began his NFL coaching career in New England in 2001 and would serve under Belichick until the end of the 2008 season. McDaniels was present for all three of the Patriots Super Bowl Championships and would become the Offensive Coordinator of the most prolific offense in the history of the NFL when the Patriots shattered scoring records in 2007.
I say give him another full season in Denver.
The Phenom
Obviously, Pat Bowlen did not agree with me, nor did he read my blog. McDaniels was fired as head coach of the Broncos on 12/6. Since then, I have heard rumors of Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, and Jim Harbaugh becoming the next head coach for the Broncos. Harbaugh would make the most sense considering the money factor. Gruden won't even talk unless he's getting top dollar. Cowher deserves a nice salary somewhere, and i believe he will land in Carolina. Harbaugh seems to be a great fit for Denver, but we'll see what Bowlen decides to do. One thing is for sure...his decision to fire Shanahan and to hire McDaniels was not well thought out.
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