Pat Bowlen Press Conference Transcript

Opening statement

“As everybody in the room is aware, I decided to make an historic change within this organization. I have terminated Mike Shanahan as head coach, and I wish him very well as he goes forward. I’m sure he will end up in another organization and will be great for that organization as he has been to the Denver Broncos’ organization. Mike coached for me for 21 years. Seven of those (years) were as an assistant, 14 of those (years) as a head coach. He has participated in five Super Bowls, and under Mike’s leadership we have won two. So obviously, he has Hall of Fame credentials and I hope I can replace him with somebody that can be on the same level that Mike was. That’s obviously very hard to do. I’ve decided to make this change for a number of reasons. I will take questions for that particular topic, but I will say this, that I think it was time for our organization to move on and for Mike to move on. I have no regrets for making that decision. I have a great deal of respect for Mike, and I will support him as much as I can in anything that he wants to do in the future.”

On if there was a specific moment when he knew he had to make a change at head coach

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while. Obviously, this season didn’t go as well as I hoped it would go. I’m not laying the blame on the coach or that he didn’t get it done or it was not the team that it should’ve been. That’s not the primary reason that I am here today. It was one of the reasons that I decided to make the change.”

On his top reasons for the decision

“I think that at this point in time, after 14 years as head coach, it was time to go a different direction. I think that Mike still wants to coach, and I think he will probably be more comfortable coaching in a different organization. It’s a good decision for the both of us.”

On whether the change was due to Shanahan’s coaching or evaluating talent

“I don’t think it had anything to do with either. I think it was just time. It was just the time to do this. Unfortunately, I’ve never been a believer that there is a coach for life. I had to fire other coaches before, and this is the third one. They’ve gone on to successful careers with other organizations. That’s just the part of our business.”

On if his decision would have been different if Denver made the playoffs this season

“I don’t want to speculate about that. We didn’t make the playoffs, and I don’t know whether my decision would’ve been the same or not.”

On if he asked Shanahan to make any changes on his coaching staff before he decided to make the change at head coach

“No, I did not. I’ve always let Mike pick his own staff and his own coaches. I think he’s done a great job in that area. I don’t think that I am qualified to evaluate whether a defensive coordinator or a quarterbacks coach is the right guy. That’s not my job. That’s the coach’s job, and I think he did a good job.”

On what changed in his relationship with Shanahan during the 2008 season

“Nothing has changed. Mike and I have always had a close relationship. Obviously, it’s going to be a little strained at this point, but I think as we go down the road we will continue to respect and appreciate each other. I think we will continue to be friends.”

On why the working relationship between Bowlen and Shanahan is no longer effective

“I just felt that it was time for change. Twenty-one years of being at one organization and 14 years as head coach is about long enough. I think we would want go at a different direction.”

On if there were any conditions that would have kept Shanahan with the organization

“No, I don’t think that there were any conditions that would’ve kept Mike here. I think I have made that decision on my own. I feel it was time for us to go a different direction. It wasn’t that if he would do this or he would do that or do something else. Mike was doing a good job. He spent a lot of time with us and I wanted to move on.”

On Shanahan handling head coach and general manager responsibilities

“I felt that Mike was doing both of those jobs fairly well. I don’t anticipate that the next head coach will have both of those jobs. Ultimately, it will end up on my desk. I’m here every day and I make the decisions. I run the show.”

On if he will look for a general manager before hiring a head coach

“I haven’t thought about it.”

On when the subject of making a coaching change came up between Bowlen and Shanahan

“Yesterday was the first time it ever came up.”

On how the conversation between Bowlen and Shanahan went

“It went very well. As well as a conversation of that nature could go. I don’t think that there was any animosity involved. Mike and I talked about it. I think he was shocked and surprised. I didn’t feel that there were a lot of negative vibes in the room. I think he knows how I feel about him and hope he feels the same way about me. I think he understands why I made the decision.”

On if the loss to San Diego had any influence in the coaching change

“No, obviously we didn’t have a good season. This is not because of one loss or one season. This is because I think it was time to make a change.”

On what he has to say to the fans

“We are going to try to get a great coach to come in here. I think we’ve got great personnel and staff that are upstairs that do a terrific job. I think this job in Denver is a very attractive one. I think we will get a great coach.”

On if he started the coaching search

“No.”

On if he has any regrets about mentioning that Shanahan will be head coach for life

“Well, I’ve said that. But I don’t have any regrets about saying it. I guess nothing is forever.”

On if he has a timetable for his next hire

“Yeah, I would like to have it done as soon as I can.”

On how long he thought about making a change at the head coaching position

“I don’t think it’s been a long time since I’ve been pondering. At some point in time, you will make a decision in your own mind. I haven’t been thinking about this all season long, if I was going to keep Mike or let him go. That has not been processing. I think that as we got through the last game and I looked back at the season, I looked back at our relationship and I looked back at a lot of things. I have no doubt in my mind that Mike can go out and get another job with another organization and be very successful.”

On whether or not Shanahan had “too much on his plate”

“I think Mike did a great job. I don’t think he had too much on his plate. I wouldn’t propose that the next coach have that much responsibility because I’m not sure that he would be able to handle it.”

On the most difficult part of making the decision

“I guess the emotion, the friendship. You know, when you are with somebody for 21 years and you have to let them go, it’s a tough decision.”

On if he dreaded informing Shanahan of his decision

“I don’t think I was dreading it. I have to make some decisions in this organization that I don’t like, and that was probably at the top of the list. But those are decisions you have to make when you run an organization.”

On whether or not he has a short list of coaches as potential replacements

“I haven’t thought about it. I haven’t given any consideration whatsoever to who is going to be the next head coach. That process has not started.”

On whether he has a role available for John Elway

“John Elway has lots of things to do and he’s got a business life of his own and he is a very busy man, involved with the (Arena Football League) Crush. I haven’t talked to John, and I don’t have any idea if he has any interest.”

On how close he thinks the Broncos are to being a Super Bowl team

“We’re not in the playoffs, so we are a long way away. But that could change in a hurry.”

On if this is the most difficult thing he has had to do in his career

“Probably. In 25 years, this is probably as tough as it gets.”

On what “going in a different direction” means

“I can’t explain that to you guys. I’m an owner, that’s what I do, I’m here everyday, it’s my job. I have to operate on my instincts, and so it is very hard for me to explain to anybody in this room why my instincts are the way that they are and I may end up regretting this decision. But right now, I am very comfortable with this decision that we’ve got to go in a different direction. I feel very comfortable with the idea that Mike will get another job, in another organization and do well, if not great, at it.”

On how Shanahan’s contract affects the organization

“That’s my business.”

On what he is looking for in a new head coach

“I want somebody to come in here and win a Super Bowl. That is my No. 1 goal. With good coaches and good players, and good personnel, that is what our goal is every year. So I hope I can pick the right coach, personnel people and right players and we can go on and win the next Super Bowl.”

On whether he will keep coaches and personnel staff regardless of head coach decision

“I don’t anticipate that we will be keeping any members of the coaching staff. Nothing will change in the personnel department.”

[LATER CLARIFIED: ALL COACHES WILL BE EVALUATED INDIVIDUALLY, AND THOSE DECISIONS WILL BE MADE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE ORGANIZATION]

On whether he has talked with any of the players and gotten their reactions

“I talked to (QB) Jay Cutler, and Jay understood the conversation. I talked to him this morning. I didn’t get any negative feedback. I think he understands enough about the business of football, the game of football, that there are going to be coaching changes and changes in organizations. I didn’t sense that Jay had any negative feelings about it, and I’m sure he is very interested in who is going to be the next head coach. Obviously, he is the man around here now, so I will be talking with Jay.”

On the stability of Vice President of Football Operations/Player Personnel Jim Goodman

“Jim Goodman has his job, and he will have his job.”

On if he will be looking for a new general manager

“We haven’t gotten to that point yet.”

On what the process is for picking a new head coach

“I don’t think I would consider myself smart enough to do it all myself. I think there is a lot of talent in this building that can help me out, and I will rely on the advice of certain people in this building that I have respect for and we will hopefully get a great new head coach. By the way, this job here, (Denver Broncos head coach) and I don’t say this in any braggadocios fashion at all, is a very highly thought of job and I expect that it will get a very good head coach. ”

On considering a college coach

“I’ll consider the whole panacea of coaches.”

On what winning means to business

“As far as the business of football, winning is everything. It doesn’t matter what it is worth. If you are worried about what it is worth, get in some other business.”

On what the most disappointing moment was for him during the 2008 season

“Probably being here today. I had a great relationship with Mike. We were together for 21 years. This is a very difficult day for me.”

On how much direct contact he will have in selecting new head coach

“I will depend on my staff a great deal, but ultimately I will make the decision.”

On if he thinks he and Mike will continue to have a relationship

“I think we will have a relationship for life. You don’t do the things we’ve done together and then move on and forget about it. That’s not the way this business works. I know Mike is very disappointed. I know I am disappointed that I had to make this decision, but Mike will go on. He is going to be very successful and I will be happy for him as long as he is not beating us and I think the relationship will be, as we go forward, very strong.”

On how Shanahan took the news

“Mike and I understand each other, and it wasn’t a confrontational conversation. It was a conversation where I told him that I’ve got to move on, and it was fully understood and left at that.”

On how he would react if Shanahan got a job within the AFC West

“I wouldn’t be too happy if it was Kansas City. But Mike will have a lot of opportunities to go to different teams. If I am consulted by one of those teams, I will give him the highest marks I can.”

On what kind of qualities he is looking for in a new head coach

“I want him to be a 10 in every area.”

On what he was thinking about last night

“I was thinking about this press conference this morning and all the tough questions I was going to get. This is a process that starts today. Yesterday, I had to terminate my head coach and it was a very difficult day. Today, we start the process of selecting a new head coach and I’m not sure how long that will take and I’m not sure who the candidates are at this particular time but we will get a good head coach.”