Falcons fire Dan Reeves

[CanadianChris 0]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1682856

 

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Atlanta Falcons fired Dan Reeves on Wednesday, dismissing the sixth-winningest coach in NFL history with three games left in a disappointing season.

 

Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will take over as head coach for the rest of the season, according to the Falcons' team Web site.

 

The Falcons scheduled a morning news conference to announce the stunning move. The 59-year-old Reeves is in his 23rd consecutive season as an NFL head coach, by far the longest tenure in the league. He had one year left on his contract.

 

According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, Reeves met with owner Arthur Blank on Tuesday night, and Blank informed Reeves that he intended to hire a new head coach before next season.

 

Reeves responded that if Blank was going to fire him, Blank should do it immediately.

 

Reeves' job security had been a subject of speculation as the Falcons fell from the playoffs a year ago to one of the worst teams in the league after quarterback Michael Vick was hurt in the preseason.

 

Still, the timing of the move was curious, coming only three days after the Falcons (3-10) defeated Carolina 20-14 in overtime in Vick's first start of the season.

 

Reeves began the season with his 199th career victory, the Falcons winning 27-13 in Dallas.

 

Atlanta then lost seven in a row before Reeves finally got his 200th win at New York against the Giants on Nov. 9. Afterward, he said, "It's great. But when you've lost seven in a row, it was all about trying to get them to win No. 2."

 

Vick broke his right leg in the preseason, exposing the Falcons as a one-man team. Initially expected to be out 6 to 10 weeks, the third-year quarterback's rehabilitation dragged on for 3½ months.

 

At one point, there appeared to be a rift between player and coach. Reeves said Vick needed to get back on the field; Vick responded that he wouldn't play until he was fully recovered.

 

Vick played the final two series in a Nov. 30 loss to Houston, then finally made his first start last weekend. He rushed for 141 yards -- the third-highest total by a quarterback in NFL history -- and finally brought a little hope to a dismal season.

 

But Reeves won't be around for the rest of it. He leaves with a career record of 201-174-2, including the playoffs.

 

Only Don Shula, George Halas, Tom Landry, Curly Lambeau and Chuck Noll won more NFL games.

 

Reeves, a protege of Landry, began his head coaching career with the Denver Broncos. After swinging a trade for John Elway, Reeves guided the Broncos to three AFC championships, but they lost in the Super Bowl each time.

 

Reeves was fired after the 1992 season, a move that was linked to a feud with Elway. The quarterback accused Reeves of stifling the offense; the coach countered that Elway had secretly drawn up plays with former offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan.

 

After the firing in Denver, Reeves landed in New York with the Giants. They made the second round of the playoffs in 1993 and had a winning record the following season, but Reeves was fired again after the Giants went 5-11 in 1995 and 6-10 in '96.

 

Then, it was back home with the Falcons. Reeves is a native of Rome, just north of Atlanta, and grew up in the Georgia town of Americus.

 

After going 7-9 his first season, Reeves took Atlanta to the greatest season in franchise history. The Falcons went 14-2 in 1998, going on to capture their first (and only) NFC championship with a thrilling overtime victory in Minnesota.

 

Adding to the drama of the season, Reeves underwent heart bypass surgery late in the season but managed to return to the sideline for the playoffs. Then, he got to face Elway, Shanahan and the Broncos in the Super Bowl.

 

The Falcons fell flat in Miami. Starting safety Eugene Robinson was arrested the night before the game and accused of soliciting an undercover police officer for sex, then was beaten for a long touchdown in the game.

 

Denver won 34-19.

 

Atlanta then struggled through three straight losing seasons, with a combined record of 16-32. But a trade on the eve of the 2001 draft brought Vick to the Falcons, a precursor of brighter times.

 

When Blank bought the Falcons before the 2002 season, he gave Reeves a new three-year contract.

 

Vick took over as the starting quarterback last season, and the Falcons rebounded from a 1-3 start to make the playoffs for the first time since 1998. In the playoffs, they became the first visiting team to win a postseason game at Green Bay's Lambeau Field before losing 20-6 at Philadelphia in the NFC semifinals.

 

Atlanta was looking to have an even better season in 2003, having signed receiver Peerless Price to give Vick another offensive weapon.

 

But Vick broke his right fibula in an Aug. 16 preseason game against Baltimore. The Falcons weren't able to handle his loss.

 

Doug Johnson and Kurt Kittner struggled at quarterback, and the defense fell apart. Atlanta is tied for the worst record in the league.

 

Earlier this season, Reeves was asked about his future. He vowed to stick with the Falcons through the end of his contract -- or until he was fired.

 

"I'm not a quitter," he said.

 

The timing baffles me, if nothing else. They couldn't wait until after the season?

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I don't think they should have fired him at all. The Falcons lost because Vick was out, and that wasn't Reeves' fault.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I heard that Blank never wanted Reeves as his coach, but replacing him with Wade?

 

Wow, Blank must really hate Dan...

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Reeves is overrated at best. When was the last time that he followed up a playoff season with even a .500 record. Remember what happened post Super Bowl appearance?

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Didn't Jamal Anderson get hurt the year after?...

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Yes, but even before that they could never put 2 winning seasons together. The other playoff appearance they made in the mid 90s was followed by a 3-13 season if I remember correctly.

 

I just don't understand the Reeves love when the Falcons break the trend every once and awhile and get in and then suck the rest of the time. Even last year the team tanked the last month of the season. Weren't they 7-2 or 7-3 at one point and still didn't break 10 wins. Even when Vick's around the offense isn't that great when they get in the redzone and he doesn't have the room to move around and has to use his accuracy to get pts.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

I don't disagree with firing him, but doing it after thier first win in months seems bizzare.

 

I think it's safe to say Wade won't keep the job. Hell I'd be suprised if he keeps any job.

[CanadianChris 0]

Now we'll find out how crazy Blank is, if he hires Deion or not.

[Guest Just J]

The title of this thread is misleading. He wasn't fired. He was told that he would be replaced at the end of the season and Reeves decided to quit now. He wasn't "fired".

 

I think Arthur Blank is an idiot and shouldn't have done anything until after next year. See what Reeves can do with a heathly Vick before you let him go.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

So who will eventually be hired as head coach? Jim Fassel? Bleh.

[Ripper 0]

Dan Reeves is the best coach for this team.

 

I did question him putting Dunn on the bench for that overrated bag of suck TJ duckett, and why Ray Buchanan was on the field EVER but a team can't win when its offense is 3 and out every series for the 2nd half. The Falcons went into the half winning a majority of its games this year, but the suck ass offense would cause the D to wear down and they would eventually lose.

 

Vicks first game, they Falcons had longer drives and converted on 3rd downs and low and behold, the D was still fresh at the end of the game and they win.

 

I don't think you fire Dan Reeves unless there is a great coach out there to replace him and I can' t think of one.

 

And yes, the Falcons rode Jamal Anderson back to the super bowl in 98 and his knee exploded in game 3 of the next year. Then it blew up again the following year. Can't blame the man there.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

It's too bad Mooch is locked up with Detroit, I think he could have worked for Atlanta.

 

Who else is going to be available in the offseason? Whatever they do, they better not hire Bill Callahan.

[Damaramu 0]

Well on the latest Sports Update here...they said that Bob Stoops is one of the men being considered........with Michael Vick and Bob Stoops....I may just have to become a Falcons fan....

[CanadianChris 0]

The title of this thread is misleading. He wasn't fired. He was told that he would be replaced at the end of the season and Reeves decided to quit now. He wasn't "fired".

You might want to mention that to every single sports website that reports he's been fired, then. Hell, to quote the story:

 

Reeves responded that if Blank was going to fire him, Blank should do it immediately.

He didn't quit, he was fired. Why would Reeves quit when there was a year left on his contract and he was told he was going to be fired anyway?

[Tony149 0]

Now we'll find out how crazy Blank is, if he hires Deion or not.

Blank was on ESPNews earlier today and was asked about Deion; he said Sanders should work his way up.

 

I was pretty impressed he didn't duck any questions thrown during that interview, especially the Deion one.

 

I like Dan (As a Cowboy fan I like any former 'Boy), and hope he somehow returns to Big D as a special assistant or something. But it was pretty clear he was on his way out of Atlanta. Too bad. Like Kahran said, ATL sucked because Vick went down. Vick is one of the few guys in sports who can send a team to hell if he gets hurt for a long period of time.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

The title of this thread is misleading. He wasn't fired. He was told that he would be replaced at the end of the season and Reeves decided to quit now. He wasn't "fired".

I don't understand this logic, which seems to place some blame on Dan's part. They were going to fire him at the end of the season, making the rest of this season futile. What's the ponit of coaching when you won't be back? He did what anybody would do, as it's retarded to say we're going to fire you at the end of the season, but just coach the rest of the games we have left. Sure, that happens a lot in the NFL, but to actually TELL the person that they'll be fired at the end is stupid. I mean, Gregg Williams would be called a quitter if he left now, even though he knows he will be fired at the end of the season. If Tom Donahoe told he would be fired, I could understand why he'd want to leave now.

 

I was watching PTI, and Tony Kornheiser said something interesting, something like how if the Falcons won all the games that they had left then Blank wouldn't be able to fire Reeves without some backlash. Doing it now means that Reeves doesn't have the excuse of Vick not being there. Maybe it's a little too conspiracy theory-ish for some, but I wouldn't be surprised.

 

Wade Phillips? Ugh.....

 

For some reason, remembering Phillips' regime here in Buffalo, it brought back a certain memory. Anyone remember Carl Mauck? He was so popular he got a slot on the opening video package to NFL Primetime.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Last time I looked Mike Vick didn't play defense.

 

Dennis Green's name should jump to the top of the list. The Vikings are no longer paying him after this season, and he might be more willing to just be the head coach. Of course Oakland, and San Diego may very well have openings, and he's probably more inclined to stay in California.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Well on the latest Sports Update here...they said that Bob Stoops is one of the men being considered........with Michael Vick and Bob Stoops....I may just have to become a Falcons fan....

Seen this way to many times with college coaches. Usually they end getting a 3 yr extension on their contract, and nice little pay raise.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Doesn't Herman Edwards have that clause in his contract where he can leave? He could be a possible candidate as well

[Ripper 0]

Last time I looked Mike Vick didn't play defense.

I annoys me every time I hear that.

 

Vick affects the time of possession. Or the time the defense is off the field and resting.

 

When you have a offense that is last in the league in 3rd down conversion, and were averaging 1-2 first downs in the second halfs of games, your defense gets worn down. The offense is more important than just scoring everytime. The time they spend on the field directly affects the defense. Which explains the second half meltdowns by atlantas D in almost all of their games. They basically get worn down.