It was Denver’s third straight season without a playoff spot, and after struggling to find a dependable quarterback, the decision was made to let Fangio go.
The first shoot of the day was officially announced on Monday and surprised many.
Brian Flores was relieved of his head coaching duties after three seasons at the helm by the Miami Dolphins.
“After evaluating where we are as an organization and what we need to improve, I determined that the key dynamics of our football organization were not operating at the level I wanted and realized that This decision was in the best interest of the Miami Dolphins.
“I believe we have a talented young roster and have the opportunity to be much better in 2022. I want to thank Brian for his hard work and wish nothing but the best in his future.”
The decision came just a day after the Dolphins of Flores defeated the New England Patriots 33-24.
It was a rollercoaster of seasons for Flores. His team started the year 1–7, but a seven-match winning streak gave the Dolphins some hope of qualifying for the playoffs.
Miami also became the first team in league history to have a seven-game losing streak and a seven-game winning streak in the same season.
However, Flores and the Dolphins failed to qualify for the playoffs despite high hopes at the start of the season. He finished with a 24-25 record in Miami.
Bears and Vikings make changes too
Shortly afterwards, it was announced that the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings would undergo significant changes this off-season.
The Bears announced that they had fired head coach Matt Nagy as well as general manager Ryan Pace after a disappointing 6–11 season.
Negi was hired in 2018 after a successful stint as an assistant coach at the Kansas City Chiefs. But despite being hired as a creative offensive mind, Bear Crime often struggled under Negi.
He led the team to the NFC North title in 2018 with a 12-4 record, winning the NFL Coach of the Year in the process, while Paes won the NFL Executive of the Year.
Bears division rivals, the Vikings, also pulled out of the house on Monday, firing longtime head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman.
“We appreciate Rick and Mike’s commitment to the team’s on-field success, their passion to make a positive impact in our community, and their dedication to the players, coaches and staff. While these decisions are not easy, we believe “It is time for a new leadership. To elevate our team so that we can continue to fight for the championship.
“We wish both Rick and Mike the best of luck and their families. Our extensive search for a new general manager and head coach will begin immediately and will be led internally. We wish the continued success and success of the Super Bowl for Vikings fans.” We look forward to bringing you the championship. We are hopeful and determined to deserve.”
Zimmer, who was the seventh-longest-serving head coach, helped turn the Vikings into an above-average side capable of special moments.
Most memorable would be the “Minnesota Miracle” in which Stephen Diggs’ 61-yard touchdown defeated the New Orleans Saints in the 2017/18 playoffs to advance to the next round.
Zimmer had a regular season record of 72-56-1 in eight seasons at the helm of the Vikings, but the Vikings missed the playoffs in 2020 and 2021.
Spielman had been in Minnesota for 16 years, and it was quite a surprise that he was relieved of his duties on Monday.
CNN’s Wayne Sterling provided reporting for this story.