Dec 30, 2012; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills head coach Chan Gailey leaving the field after the game against the New York Jets at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Bills beat the Jets 28-9. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
One of the most expected moves of the NFL offseason has happened early on what is known as “Black Monday” throughout the NFL.
Much to the delight of nearly ever Bills fan out there, Buffalo has fired Chan Gailey as the team’s head coach. The move comes after the team put the finishing touches on yet another disappointing season that saw the team miss the playoffs for the 13th consecutive year.
This season, the team was full of expectations after the team went out and signed Mario Williams and Mark Anderson, and made Dave Wannstedt defensive coordinator; people were actually talking playoffs. What actually happened though was a 6-10 debacle of a year that saw the team play “weaker” competition, but still choke away the close games and miss the playoffs.
The news was first reported by The Buffalo News’ Jerry Sullivan a little under an hour ago.
When Gailey was brought in, he was labeled as a quarterback guru who would be able to get the most out the quarterbacks on his roster, using Kordell Stewart and Tyler Thigpen as examples. Again, that’s what people expected, but not what they got. Instead, fans got to see a coach who went 16-32 in his three full seasons with Buffalo, and crumbled in nearly every close game situation when major in-game adjustments had to be made.
Far too often, Gailey looked as if he was in way over his head on the sideline. He just looked like a confused child more often than not, and, at times, seemed to have a defeatist attitude every time he talked to the media. He just ran out of answers when the same questions about the team’s failures kept coming up week in, week out.
It was time to move on, and now everyone watches whether or not general manager Buddy Nix gets the ax as well.