Broncos name ex-Panther Fox as head coach

[Forkboy]

The former Carolina Panthers coach agreed to terms to become the 14th head coach of the Denver Broncos, the team announced Thursday, just one day after Fox met with Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway.

"I am very thankful to (owner) Pat Bowlen and John Elway for giving me the opportunity to coach a football team with such a proud tradition," Fox said. "The Broncos have a culture of winning, and I am excited to continue that legacy."

Elway announced the moved on the Broncos' Twitter feed, calling Fox "a dynamic and proven leader who will energize our entire organization."

Fox, 55, spent the last nine seasons as Carolina's coach, going 73-71 and winning five of eight games in three trips to the playoffs. The Panthers were coming off a 1-15 season when he took over in 2002, and he led them to a 7-9 mark in his first year before guiding them to the Super Bowl in his second season.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81da89ea/article/broncos-name-expanther-fox-as-head-coach?module=breaking_news

[fishwax]

1. wasn't he the one coach in the league who had fewer wins than Denver did this season?

I figured it was between Fox and Rick Dennison, but I thought Dennison would likely get it. Oh well.

Fox does, at least, have experience rebuilding teams.

[Auggie]

2. Sometimes you just need a change, I guess

[JonLP24]

4. If he can bring his very strong running teams to Denver

I'll be happy.

[fishwax]

7. well, I hope so

Rick Dennison has a pretty good history of building running games as well. But I imagine the fact that Dennison hasn't been a head coach and that Fox has a defensive pedigree also made a difference.

But I definitely hope Fox works out.

:kick:

[El Supremo]

3. Alright! Three head coaches on the payroll!

And Fox isn't cheap.

[madinmaryland]

8. National and International?? (All Three)???

Lee L. Mercer.

[Lions_fan]

5. Didn't someone say the Rooney Rule was stupid?

:wtf: Art Shell deserves another chance before Fox

[Auggie]

6. Ah, Art Shell...

I'm afraid Shell's best days are behind him.

[Lions_fan]

10. Why are his best days behind him?

He's only 5 years younger than Pete Carroll and has a better W-L record than Carroll.

[Auggie]

11. Art Shell flopped in his last Oakland gig

In 2006, Shell's second stint as head coach, the team went 2-14, it's worst record in 43 years. The offense was a disaster. Linemen couldn't master the old-style blocking schemes Shell encouraged. Practices were sloppy and game plans uninspired. He lost the support of receivers Jerry Porter and Randy Moss early on. The offensive scored a total 135 points -- not even averaging 8.5 points a game. No doubt a huge finger of blame can be pointed at Al Davis (as usual) -- Shell could do only so much with the players he had -- but Shell also hired Tom Walsh as offensive coordinator, bed and breakfast owner, who had last coached in 1995.

Perhaps I should have written "Art Shells head coaching day are behind him," though if Shell could embrace the modern game and manage egos better I could be proven wrong.

[Lions_fan]

12. One bad season means his days are behind him?

That 2-14 season was 12 years after his last head coaching job and Davis didn't fire him, Shell retired. Most coaches have at least one bad season. Rod Marinelli had a 3-13 season and got two more season which included a winless season. Art Shell has a better win % than John Fox and John Fox just came off a 2-14 season and he gets a head coaching job at Denver :wtf:

[Auggie]

13. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it

On edit: I couldn't find out what Shell has been up to lately. Does anyone know?

[fishwax]

14. Shell has coached one season in the last ten seasons (as an assistant or a head coach)

so he's not really a likely candidate for a head job in today's NFL.

(And, of course, he's a Raider through and through, which wouldn't help in getting the Broncos gig, even if he had any interest, which I don't imagine that he did.)

[Lions_fan]

16. Maybe that's because Shell hasn't been given an opportunity

Morningweig and Marinelli are both assistant head coaches. They're records are a combined 15-65 over 5 years including two 3 win seasons, one 2 win seasons and a 0 win season. I'm not really advocating Shell getting the job but he is just as qualified as Fox or any of these other retreads that'll get hired this offseason. This is why the Rooney Rule is still needed.

[fishwax]

17. I agree with you about the Rooney Rule, but I don't think Shell is a good example

Not because he wasn't a good coach--he was, in his first stint with the Raiders. Davis shouldn't have fired him, and Davis knows that now. And after his last assistant gig in 2000 it might well be that he left partly because he wasn't getting the opportunities that his track record deserved. But I think since his last Raiders stint he's more likely pursued other opportunities. He was, after all, a league Vice President in between his first raider gig and his second, so he's got other avenues that he can pursue.

In terms of overall record, Fox and Shell are pretty similar, I suppose--both have had successful enough careers that they've stayed above .500 even after a 2-14 season. Fox has done a little better in the playoffs. But it's a rather different game than it was when Shell was winning in the 90s. So while Shell may be equally qualified in a historical sense, I don't think he's as good a candidate for a position today.

I agree with you about the Rooney Rule. And about coaching retreads. The NFL, as one of the commentators (can't remember which) said in a pre-game last week, is a copycat league.

[underpants]

9. Actually Wade Phillips was the reason for the Rooney Rule

when he got the job in Buffalo (I think) was when the players said - that is enough of the coaching carousel.

Fox is not a bad coach.

[fishwax]

15. sorry, underpants, but I'm pretty skeptical of that claim.

The Rooney Rule was put in place in 2003. Wade Phillips took over Buffalo in 1998. (He is, incidentally, the last Bills coach to have a winning record overall. They've had one winning season and no playoff appearances since.)

Phillips did coach the Falcons in 2003, but only as an interim coach for the last three games after Dan Reeves was fired.