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Dialuna 10 Januari 2022

Denver Broncos fire coach Vic Fangio after 3 losing seasons

fense was depleted by inju- four games. Bowl 50, 11 if you include
ries or COVID-19. The long running back Phillip Lindsay,
list of QBs who have had Asked Saturday about his who started against New Or-
some of the toughest days 5-13 record in the AFC West leans in 2020 when all four of
of their careers against Fan- that includes an 0-6 mark Denver’s quarterbacks were
gio’s teams include Tua Ta- against the Chiefs, Fangio in COVID-19 protocols.
govailoa, Justin Herbert and said, “Well those other three
Patrick Mahomes. teams have top-shelf quar- One of Paton’s first moves
terbacks, which is obvious to as GM was to acquire vet-
Last month, the Broncos everybody.” eran Teddy Bridgewater, who
held Joe Burrow to 157 yards went 7-7 as Denver’s starter
passing. Burrow followed Equally obvious is how the before missing the final three
that tough afternoon with Broncos have failed to find games with a concussion.
a two-game stretch against their own premier passer,
Baltimore and Kansas City swinging and missing on the Lock, the starter in 2020, lost
in which he threw for a com- likes of Paxton Lynch, Drew all three of his starts despite
(AP) — Vic Fangio was their losing streak against the bined 971 yards and eight Lock, Case Keenum and Joe not turning the ball over after
fired on Sunday morning Chiefs to 13 games. touchdowns. Flacco. committing an NFL-high 18
turnovers last season.
as coach of the Denver
Broncos after going 19-30 Fangio met with Paton ahead Yet Fangio’s teams struggled The Broncos have churned Paton is expected to focus his
in three seasons. of the season finale and laid mightily on offense and spe- through 10 starting quar-
out his plan to fix the Bron- cial teams and his game man- terbacks since Peyton Man- efforts this offseason on find-
Team president and CEO cos’ myriad problems that agement skills, including use ning’s retirement a month ing the Broncos’ sixth differ-
Joe Ellis, who will step down extended the team’s playoff of timeouts, challenges and after Denver’s win in Super ent starting QB in six seasons.
later this year, said general drought to six seasons and clock handling, came into
manager George Paton will string of losing records to question in all three of his
have “full authority to select five years. seasons in Denver.
the next head coach.”
Fangio led Denver to a 5-11 The Broncos averaged better
“This morning, George and mark last season and went than 10,000 no-shows over
I informed Vic of the deci- 7-9 in 2019 after he replaced their final six home games,
sion to part ways with him Vance Joseph, who was fired including nearly 15,000 Sat-
as head coach,” Ellis said in a after two losing seasons. urday, a sign the fanbase had
statement. “For the last three grown frustrated with Fan-
seasons, Vic put his heart and Fangio got the job after more gio.
soul into coaching the Bron- than three decades as an as-
cos. I want to thank Coach sistant, and he burnished The Broncos were still in the
Fangio for giving his maxi- his reputation as a defen- mix of the AFC’s crowded
mum effort to our organi- sive master during his time playoff field in mid-Decem-
zation since the day he was in Denver. But the Broncos ber before losing their final
hired.” didn’t win, and that cost him
his job.
Fangio released his own state-
ment in which he thanked Fangio and Paton hit it off
the organization and fans and when Paton was hired last
praised Paton as one of the year to replace John Elway.
NFL’s top GMs: “Broncos They saw eye-to-eye on the
fans, you have a great one in draft and many felt their
George.” close relationship would help
Fangio survive a third losing
Fangio said he appreciated the season.
team’s “fight and character
you showed each and every “I have tremendous respect
week. No matter the adver- for Vic and all he’s accom-
sity, circumstances or chal- plished in the NFL,” Paton
lenges we faced, you never said in a statement. “Over
backed down. I am proud to the past year, I appreciate his
be associated with this group partnership, friendship and
of fighters and competitors.” tireless work ethic he dem-
onstrated as our head coach.
And he reiterated that the
franchise is on the cusp of re- “Vic will continue to have
turning to greatness. great success in this league,
and I thank him for every-
“The foundation is in place thing he did for the Broncos
for this team to accomplish as well as me personally.”
great things,” he said. “The
future is bright for the Den- Fangio isn’t expected to be
ver Broncos, and I wish the out of work long. He will be
organization nothing but the a candidate for a defensive
best.” coordinator job in the new
round of coaching changes
The Broncos lost their final this month.
four games to finish 7-10,
capped by a 28-24 loss to Fangio’s creative schemes
Kansas City on Saturday in helped the Broncos thwart
which they blew a fourth- some of the best young quar-
quarter lead and extended terbacks even when his de-