Dan Reeves FIRED!!!

[Male30Dan]

Wednesday, December 10, 2003


ESPN.com news services
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.


All-time NFL coaching wins
Name Teams Wins
Don Shula Colts, Dolphins 347
George Halas Bears 324
Tom Landry Cowboys 270
Curly Lambeau Packers, Cardinals, Redskins 229
Chuck Noll Steelers 209
Dan Reeves Broncos, Giants, Falcons 201
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.


Information from The Associated Press was used in this report

[Male30Dan]

How can you expect to win with no better than a third string quarterback running the show... You might get a couple of games, but the entire game plan changes without Vick... With what he accomplished there, he really should have been given another year with Vick to truly evaluate what passion he still had left in coaching... Bad decision IMHO and its too bad that good coaches have to take the rap for player failures and mistakes... Sure it is Reeves' job to motivate and get every ounce of talent out of his players, but again, YOU CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH!!! Just ask Johnny Davis!!!

[kg_veteran]

Probably a mistake, but that's the nature of the business.

[Male30Dan]

The bad thing is that WHOEVER gets the actual full-time head-coaching job after Reeves will look like he turned the team around when in reality it was simply the resurgence of Vick... I mean how many games would you expect Jason Garrett to win for the Cowboys if Aikman went down in the season, (and dont count the Packer game bacause anyone can throw balls EXTRA EXTRA high if they have an Alvin Harper to jump over the moon to catch them)???

Just bad football politics!!!

[kingrex]

A class act from all accounts of this coach. I believe he was the winningest of all active coaches. Well, good-luck in your retirement, Dan, you were an asset to the league.

[Male30Dan]

Yep, the winningest of all active coaches, and 6th all time...

He would have been 5th this year if Vick were healthy!!!

[thebac]

I don't follow the NFL much, so forgive me if I expose my ignorance here...

Anyway, it's seemed to me that the only reason Dan Reeves had not been fired earlier is because he took them to the Super Bowl in 1998/99 (and let's be honest, the Vikings should have had it), and certainly that was a great accomplishment. However, in the almost five years since, he hasn't done much. Injury to Vick or not, the team hasn't been competitive this year--Vick bought him more time last year, but his time was up.

[Male30Dan]

Again:

Sure it is Reeves' job to motivate and get every ounce of talent out of his players, but again, YOU CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH!!!

Dan would have put this team in the playoffs this year, next year, and years to come had he been given a team with health... He lost his best offensive player and was expected to win... Lets not forget he has still been trying to find a way to recover from losing one of the best running backs in the NFL in Jamal Anderson... I say he needed more time!!!

[jmiles65]

Vick is that team, you can't fire Reeves for losing when he just has two scrubs that should be sacking groceries taking the snaps.

I'd like for him to be added to the Cowboys staff next year.. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[SaltwaterChaffy]

Was it dan reeves, or someone else, who said Doug Johnson could start for half the teams in the league?

nice...

[mavsfanforever]

Originally posted by: jmiles65
Vick is that team, you can't fire Reeves for losing when he just has two scrubs that should be sacking groceries taking the snaps.

I'd like for him to be added to the Cowboys staff next year.. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

I can understand Vick is an intergral part of that team. But it was not Vicks absense that was the reason for these no.s by that team:

# 32 in total defense( Vick surely is not a part of defense)
#28 in rushing
#29 in penalties

These stats reflect that the players probably were not disciplined good enough by the coach or they do not respect the coach anymore. I do understand that Dan Reeves is a great coach but all this is a part of the business. Don't you think we will all be voting to fire Nellie if Dallas does not make the playoffs even if Dirk is injured.

[Big Boy Laroux]

right, it is not on vick. the falcons defense ( which was supposed to be underrated) has been awful this year. maybe it because the offense sucks, too, and they're on the field more... who knows. but the d has been bad, too.

[dallas_esq]

Reeves will land somewhere. Wasn't Wade Phillips the head coach in Atlanta once before?

[mavsfanforever]

Originally posted by: Big Boy Laroux
right, it is not on vick. the falcons defense ( which was supposed to be underrated) has been awful this year. maybe it because the offense sucks, too, and they're on the field more... who knows. but the d has been bad, too.

I did win a few games because my running backs did excellent against Falcons defense.