Broncos fire coach Fangio
The Denver Broncos are looking for a new coach to lead them out of a six-year playoff drought and a half-decade of losing seasons that marks the most protracted plunge by a Super Bowl champion in NFL history.
The Broncos fired Vic Fangio after he went 19-30 over three years, including 7-10 this season despite having one of the easiest schedules and the highest-paid defense.
Had Fangio’s determination, unpretentious personality and professionalism led to better results on the field, he wouldn’t have been let go Sunday morning by team President/Chief Executive Joe Ellis and first-year general manager George Paton.
Paton sounded more like a man hiring Fangio than firing him when he declared, “He’s the best coach I’ve ever been around. And I don’t take that lightly. His attention to detail, his toughness, his work ethic and his football mind is unparalleled.”
“He put his heart and soul into this job,” Ellis concurred. “I’ve never seen a coach work harder. At the end of the day, we’re judged on one thing, and that’s winning.”
Fangio’s .387 winning percentage includes a 6-11 mark at home over the last two seasons, the worst two-year stretch in Denver since the team went 4-10 in 1967-68. His teams were just 5-13 against the AFC West.
Records
In addition to Miami’s Jaylen Waddle breaking the rookie record for catches in a season with 104, surpassing the mark set by Anquan Boldin in 2003, another rookie receiver, Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase, broke Chad Johnson’s Bengals record for yards receiving in a season with 1,455. He finished 18 yards short of the NFL rookie record held by Houston’s Bill Groman.
Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt tied Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan’s record for sacks in a season with 221⁄2.
Watt brought down Baltimore’s Tyler Huntley late in the first half of the Steelers’ 16-13 win, helping force the Ravens to settle
for a field goal. He also forced a fumble.
Injuries
New Orleans quarterback Taysom Hill left Sunday’s win over Atlanta with a left foot injury . ... Seattle safety Quandre Diggs was carted off after suffering a broken leg and dislocated ankle against Arizona. Diggs, who led Seattle with five interceptions and made his first Pro Bowl, is set to be a free agent.
Etc.
Miami became only the second team to win both of its AFC East games against New England in the last 21 years. Buffalo did it in 2020 . ... Atlanta owner Arthur Blank tested positive for COVID-19 and missed his first regular-season game since buying the team in 2002. The Falcons say Blank is fully vaccinated and “in great spirits.” ... Buffalo was attempting to become the NFL’s first team since at least 1945 to go three consecutive games without a punt. Instead, the Bills had three consecutive punts on three-and-outs.