In contrast, Giants coach survives and will continue next year.
With the NFL 2013 regular season concluded, ‘Black Monday’ brought its usual results with no less than five coaches losing their jobs as teams begin to rebuild.
Amongst the first group of coaches to go were Cleveland Browns’ Rob Chudzinski, Leslie Frazier of the Minnesota Vikings and Mike Shanahan of the Washington Redskins.
Chudzinski was a first-year coach who took the team to a 4-12 record, while Frazier took charge of the Vikings mid-way through the 2010 season and led the team to the playoffs in 2012.
His final record with the franchise was 21-32-1, but having finished last in the NFC North this season with a 5-10-1 record, Frazier’s last game in charge was Sunday’s 14-13 win over the Detroit Lions.
There had been signs of improvement in the closing stages of the season, and coupled with Frazier’s input in the franchise and community, his dismissal is perhaps the most disappointing of all.
In contrast, Shanahan had faced an uncertain future after a disastrous year in which the Redskins finished the season with a 3-13 record.
Controversy rumbled on throughout the campaign over the condition of quarterback Robert Griffin III, after he seemingly rushed back into action after undergoing surgery to repair his knee in the off-season.
His mixed form combined with Shanahan’s struggles elsewhere ultimately led to a parting of ways, and Washington now face a tough task in finding a successor willing to take on the challenge.
The same could be said for the Lions who decided to fire Jim Schwartz after five years, following his latest failure to make the playoffs.
Detroit won six of their first nine games this season but crumbled as they got closer to securing a post-season spot, and the players spoke out following the decision and took responsibility for the dismissal.
Meanwhile, former Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith has already been linked with the opening at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, after Greg Schiano was dismissed.
The former coach couldn’t avoid a third straight losing season, and as a result has paid the price for his inability to match the ambition of the franchise.
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