Pigs seen flying - Matt Millen fired by Lions
Michigan
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FOXSports.com and ESPN are reporting that the Lions have removed team president and CEO Matt Millen, ending one of the most criticized tenures in Detroit sports history.
Millen was informed of the move last night during a late-night high-level meeting. This morning several people within the building confirmed that he had large packing boxes in his office, according to reports. ESPN's Chris Mortensen confirmed the story through Matt Millen's wife, Patty.
It is unclear if Millen was fired or removed himself from the equation, but the news comes just days after Bill Ford Jr. publicly stated he would have fired Millen if it were his decision but he lacked the authority to do so. The authority rested with his father, William Clay Ford Sr., who has been the sole owner of the Lions since 1964.
Phone messages left for Millen, head coach Rod Marinelli and other team officials were not returned.
The Lions' 0-3 start this season stirred the groundswell for Millen's apparent demise. The Lions have won only one playoff game during Ford's tenure and are an NFL-worst 31-84 since Millen took over in 2001. Millen has gone through three head coaches, none of whom have been able to turn the Lions into a winner.
Although as of late morning no official word had come from the Lions regarding Millen, reports of his firing had fans excited.
People were driving past the team's Allen Park headquarters, honking their horns and cheering. One man in a pickup yelled, "Finally!” as he drove past the entrance.
Offensive guard Edwin Mulitalo, who was entering the facility to work out, said he hadn't heard anything about Millen's firing.
"I don't know," he said. "I just had a baby. This is my first time out of the hospital."
Mulitalo said he respects Millen. "Of course, I respect him in a lot of different ways," he said. "He was a former player and just the title that he had. As a professional, you respect that."
Was Millen's firing necessary after the team's 0-3 start?
"I don't think so," Mulitalo said. "That's what a lot of the media says, but whenever something like this happens … definitely it's tough."
Millen was informed of the move last night during a late-night high-level meeting. This morning several people within the building confirmed that he had large packing boxes in his office, according to reports. ESPN's Chris Mortensen confirmed the story through Matt Millen's wife, Patty.
It is unclear if Millen was fired or removed himself from the equation, but the news comes just days after Bill Ford Jr. publicly stated he would have fired Millen if it were his decision but he lacked the authority to do so. The authority rested with his father, William Clay Ford Sr., who has been the sole owner of the Lions since 1964.
Phone messages left for Millen, head coach Rod Marinelli and other team officials were not returned.
The Lions' 0-3 start this season stirred the groundswell for Millen's apparent demise. The Lions have won only one playoff game during Ford's tenure and are an NFL-worst 31-84 since Millen took over in 2001. Millen has gone through three head coaches, none of whom have been able to turn the Lions into a winner.
Although as of late morning no official word had come from the Lions regarding Millen, reports of his firing had fans excited.
People were driving past the team's Allen Park headquarters, honking their horns and cheering. One man in a pickup yelled, "Finally!” as he drove past the entrance.
Offensive guard Edwin Mulitalo, who was entering the facility to work out, said he hadn't heard anything about Millen's firing.
"I don't know," he said. "I just had a baby. This is my first time out of the hospital."
Mulitalo said he respects Millen. "Of course, I respect him in a lot of different ways," he said. "He was a former player and just the title that he had. As a professional, you respect that."
Was Millen's firing necessary after the team's 0-3 start?
"I don't think so," Mulitalo said. "That's what a lot of the media says, but whenever something like this happens … definitely it's tough."
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<< <i>this ranks up there in my sad days in nfl history along with the firing of Wayne Fontes and Dave Wansted.
Hey with Fontes we at least made it to the playoffs!!