ILS1
12-29-2008, 01:25 PM
The Detroit Lions' pursuit of at least one victory in 2009 will have to come without Rod Marinelli, who was fired as coach Monday after a historic 0-16 season.
The Lions lost to the Green Bay Packers 31-21 on Sunday, making them the first team to go winless through a 16-game season. The 1976 expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-14) were the last NFL team to complete a season without a victory.
"No competitor wants to go through something like this," Marinelli said after Sunday's game. "This is not fun to go through, obviously. But there's people going through a lot worse than this."
In a statement released Monday, owner William Clay Ford Sr. announced the promotions of Tom Lewand to team president and Martin Mayhew to general manager.
Ford also announced that defensive coordinator Joe Barry, assistant offensive line coach Mike Barry and secondary coach Jimmy Lake will not be retained; the contract of defensive line coach Joe Cullen will not be renewed; Jim Colletto has been reassigned to offensive line coach; and Dave Boller, the assistant director of pro personnel, will not be retained.
Marinelli was 10-38 in three seasons in Detroit.
The Lions were building toward this disastrous season for years and now have lost 23 of their past 24 games. The 0-16 record will be a lasting testimony to the Matt Millen era. With Millen as president of the team from 2001 until he was fired on Sept. 24, Detroit won only 31 games -- none this year, of course.
The Lions haven't won since Dec. 23, 2007, actually, when they beat Kansas City. Green Bay is where this woeful streak began at the end of last season. Since then, the Lions have lost 17 straight and have been outscored 551-281.
Story Link (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3797433)
The Lions lost to the Green Bay Packers 31-21 on Sunday, making them the first team to go winless through a 16-game season. The 1976 expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-14) were the last NFL team to complete a season without a victory.
"No competitor wants to go through something like this," Marinelli said after Sunday's game. "This is not fun to go through, obviously. But there's people going through a lot worse than this."
In a statement released Monday, owner William Clay Ford Sr. announced the promotions of Tom Lewand to team president and Martin Mayhew to general manager.
Ford also announced that defensive coordinator Joe Barry, assistant offensive line coach Mike Barry and secondary coach Jimmy Lake will not be retained; the contract of defensive line coach Joe Cullen will not be renewed; Jim Colletto has been reassigned to offensive line coach; and Dave Boller, the assistant director of pro personnel, will not be retained.
Marinelli was 10-38 in three seasons in Detroit.
The Lions were building toward this disastrous season for years and now have lost 23 of their past 24 games. The 0-16 record will be a lasting testimony to the Matt Millen era. With Millen as president of the team from 2001 until he was fired on Sept. 24, Detroit won only 31 games -- none this year, of course.
The Lions haven't won since Dec. 23, 2007, actually, when they beat Kansas City. Green Bay is where this woeful streak began at the end of last season. Since then, the Lions have lost 17 straight and have been outscored 551-281.
Story Link (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3797433)