jaspegs Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-billickhome1231,0,3641484.story?coll=bal_tab01_layout Ravens fire Billick Ravens head coach let go after wrapping 5-11 season By Jamison Hensley | Sun reporter 4:48 PM EST, December 31, 2007Less than a month after he was assured he would return, Brian Billick has been fired as Ravens head coach. Billick was informed of owner Steve Bisciotti's decision a day after the Ravens wrapped a dismal 5-11 season. Bisciotti informed the players of the decision at a 2 p.m. meeting today. "I just changed my mind," Bisciotti told The Sun. "I can't explain to you how tough a decision it is. It's the toughest decision I've ever had to make." The Ravens will pay Billick the remainder of his contract, which has been estimated at $5 million for the next three years. Asked whether he specifically told Billick that he would return earlier this month, Bisciotti said, "There were indications but no promises." A high-ranking team official told The Sun earlier this month that Bisciotti gave Billick a vote of confidence because of the Ravens' numerous injuries and bad quarterback play. Bisciotti said Billick was "gracious" when told of the firing. "He had a hard decision, and he did what he believes is best for the Ravens," Billick said in a statement. "We are and will remain friends." Billick is the winningest NFL coach in Baltimore history and guided the Ravens to their first Super Bowl title in January 2001. "Yeah, it was shocking," receiver Derrick Mason said. "But the organization had to make a decision, and they felt like this was the best decision for this team to move forward." Hired after a successful run as the Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator, Billick arrived in January 1999 and transformed the Ravens from a losing franchise to a Super Bowl-winning one. Before Billick, the Ravens were 16-31-1 in the club's first three seasons under coach Ted Marchibroda and hadn't finished higher than fourth in the AFC Central. In the first five seasons under Billick, the Ravens reached the playoffs three times, capturing their first Super Bowl title in the 2000 season and winning the AFC North in 2003. But the Ravens have hit a rut with Billick. They have advanced to the postseason just once in three seasons (and have no playoff wins since 2001), and his offense has consistently finished in the bottom half of the NFL. "The passion, the dedication and the willingness to work by the players is so appreciated," said Billick, who will continue to live in the area and is building a home on the Eastern Shore. "Even in this difficult season, they fought through it. My respect for the players -- every single one who has played for the Ravens in the last nine years -- is hard to articulate. They have my completed respect and admiration. Billick added, "It's been a great ride with the Ravens and the fans here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaspegs Posted December 31, 2007 Author Share Posted December 31, 2007 Sry didnt mean the question mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Is Rex Ryan the leading contender? if not, fire Sutton and have Rex and twin brother Rob draw straws over who's the new DC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billo83 Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-billickhome1231,0,3641484.story?coll=bal_tab01_layout Ravens fire Billick Ravens head coach let go after wrapping 5-11 season By Jamison Hensley | Sun reporter 4:48 PM EST, December 31, 2007Less than a month after he was assured he would return, Brian Billick has been fired as Ravens head coach. Billick was informed of owner Steve Bisciotti's decision a day after the Ravens wrapped a dismal 5-11 season. Bisciotti informed the players of the decision at a 2 p.m. meeting today. "I just changed my mind," Bisciotti told The Sun. "I can't explain to you how tough a decision it is. It's the toughest decision I've ever had to make." The Ravens will pay Billick the remainder of his contract, which has been estimated at $5 million for the next three years. Asked whether he specifically told Billick that he would return earlier this month, Bisciotti said, "There were indications but no promises." A high-ranking team official told The Sun earlier this month that Bisciotti gave Billick a vote of confidence because of the Ravens' numerous injuries and bad quarterback play. Bisciotti said Billick was "gracious" when told of the firing. "He had a hard decision, and he did what he believes is best for the Ravens," Billick said in a statement. "We are and will remain friends." Billick is the winningest NFL coach in Baltimore history and guided the Ravens to their first Super Bowl title in January 2001. "Yeah, it was shocking," receiver Derrick Mason said. "But the organization had to make a decision, and they felt like this was the best decision for this team to move forward." Hired after a successful run as the Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator, Billick arrived in January 1999 and transformed the Ravens from a losing franchise to a Super Bowl-winning one. Before Billick, the Ravens were 16-31-1 in the club's first three seasons under coach Ted Marchibroda and hadn't finished higher than fourth in the AFC Central. In the first five seasons under Billick, the Ravens reached the playoffs three times, capturing their first Super Bowl title in the 2000 season and winning the AFC North in 2003. But the Ravens have hit a rut with Billick. They have advanced to the postseason just once in three seasons (and have no playoff wins since 2001), and his offense has consistently finished in the bottom half of the NFL. "The passion, the dedication and the willingness to work by the players is so appreciated," said Billick, who will continue to live in the area and is building a home on the Eastern Shore. "Even in this difficult season, they fought through it. My respect for the players -- every single one who has played for the Ravens in the last nine years -- is hard to articulate. They have my completed respect and admiration. Billick added, "It's been a great ride with the Ravens and the fans here Sry didnt mean the question mark. Billick certainly made out like a bandit. He can sit on his ass for 3 years and collect 15 million. Man life is unfair!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4HCrew Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 not surprised with this..the players run that team which is the animal he created Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenn212 Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Ravens fire head coach Billick after 5-11 season Associated Press OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Brian Billick never came close to duplicating the success he enjoyed early in his career as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, and it finally cost him his job. Billick was fired Monday, less than 24 hours after his team concluded a season of high expectations with a disappointing 5-11 record. His entire staff, including defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, also was dismissed. Brian Billick was fired by the Ravens on Monday, less than a year after receiving a contract extension with the team through 2010. "I believed that it was time for a change, I believed that we have the nucleus of a team that can get back to the Super Bowl, and we felt that in the next five years we had a better chance with a new coach than leaving Brian in that position," said owner Steve Bisciotti, who made the decision after consulting with team president Dick Cass and general manager Ozzie Newsome. Billick won the 2001 Super Bowl in his second season with the Ravens, but since Bisciotti took over full ownership in 2004, Baltimore was 33-33. That included two losing seasons and only one playoff appearance, a one-and-out performance in 2006. "It's a gut feeling. I have one job here, and that's to have a leader that I think gives us the best chance," Bisciotti said. "We have been losing more than winning lately." Billick led the Ravens to a franchise-best 13-3 record in 2006. But Baltimore lost a team-record nine consecutive games this season before ending the skid Sunday with a 27-21 win over Pittsburgh. Bisciotti said he made the decision to fire Billick hours before kickoff, and carried out the move Monday morning in a meeting at the team's practice facility. "He had to make a hard decision, and he did what he believes is best for the Ravens," Billick said in a statement. "We are friends and will remain friends." Billick had three years left on a contract that pays $5 million per season. Bisciotti determined a few weeks ago that he would give Billick a chance to right things in 2008, but changed his mind after talking with Cass, Newsome and other NFL owners. "We believe that we will be better with fresh blood or we wouldn't have made this decision," Bisciotti said. "We obviously wouldn't fire Brian if we thought we were where we needed to be." Ryan will be considered for the head coaching job, but Newsome said he will "be calling and talking to a lot of people." Billick's nine seasons with Baltimore was tied with Philadelphia's Andy Reid as the third-longest current run with the same team. He took the Ravens to the playoffs in 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2006 and finished with an 80-64 record. "Sometimes the message can get repetitive after a while," 12-year offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden said. The Ravens expected to compete for a world championship this season after bringing back almost every starter from last year's AFC North champions. But injuries and a turnover-prone offense contributed to a complete collapse after a 4-2 start, and Baltimore finished with sole possession of last place in the division for the first time since 1997. Bisciotti knows there are no guarantees that the Ravens' next coach will get better results than Billick. But he figured making a change was worth the risk. "In order to be successful you have to take chances, and in order to take chances you have to listen to your heart. You have to go with your gut," the owner said. "It doesn't mean that you don't fear being wrong, because I do fear being wrong. I could be three coaches past Brian Billick nine years from now trying to solve this puzzle." Billick was the offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings before coming to Baltimore. He was deemed to be an offensive genius when he got to the Ravens, but the team became known for its staunch defense and never had an attack that was remotely as productive as that of the Vikings in the late 1990s. "I'm not saying I agree with it," kicker Matt Stover said of Billick's dismissal, "but sometimes things have to change." Billick, 53, was hired as Baltimore's second head coach in January 1999, succeeding Ted Marchibroda. In Billick's first season, the Ravens reached .500 (8-8) for the first time. Then he led Baltimore to a 12-4 record and a berth in the Super Bowl, where the Ravens beat the New York Giants 34-7. But after he failed to build on last year's 13-3 record, Billick wasn't afforded the opportunity to bounce back from a season in which the Ravens went from Oct. 14 to the end of December without a win. "For all we went through as a team, I think coach Billick stood in there. And for all the verbal lashings from the fans and the media, he stood in there and took it," wide receiver Derrick Mason said. "That says a lot for the man, for his character. Yes, it was shocking, but the organization had to make a decision, and they felt in was the best decision for this team to move forward." But was it the right decision? Bisciotti couldn't say for sure. "How much blame you put on different people, and how much you hold yourself responsible is new to me," he said. "I hope that over time that Baltimore views me as (good) an owner as Brian Billick was a head football coach. "I've got some catching up to do to the man that I asked to step down today. The jury's out on me. Brian's already got his Super Bowl." Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved More Headlines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 http://jetnation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48137 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceman88 Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 Is Rex Ryan the leading contender? if not, fire Sutton and have Rex and twin brother Rob draw straws over who's the new DC. Nope according to ESPN the entire coaching staff including Ryan was fired. Great news in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeniorFlaJet Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 Amazing how losing to the Fins will change an owner's mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
124 Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 Amazing how losing to the Fins will change an owner's mind. Sad part is is that if Billick had any balls the Ravens probably score a touchdown and win instead of kicking the field goal. I wonder where Billick will end up now. Head Coaching candidate elsewhere or to the Broadcast booth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.