Unemployment must have been wearing on John Fox. He's working again. He's accepted the job as head coach of the Denver Broncos.
Denver is a great city and the Broncos are a great opportunity. They get to play Oakland twice every season.
I knew Fox would be a head coach again. But I'm surprised it was in Denver. Pat Bowlen, who owns the team, is a good friend of Jerry Richardson, who owns the Carolina Panthers. Of course they talked.
Despite the acrimony that accompanied Carolina's disasterous 2-14 season, perhaps Richardson remembered the good times and spoke highly about his coach. Or maybe John Elway made the call.
Fox worked nine seasons for Richardson. He knew before the 2010 season began he was out. So, of course, did Richardson and general manager Marty Hurney. The relationship between Richardson and Fox had worn out.
When I wrote on opening day that Fox was beginning his final season, I was trashed by readers. When Carolina began losing every week, the same readers trashed Fox. I told them Fox would coach again. Some couldn't fathom why.
True, there were some bizarre coaching misadventures late in the season. In the finale at Atlanta, Fox called an end around to Brandon LaFell, and LaFell fell down, out of energy, after 60 yards. On the next play, the Panthers again gave the ball to LaFell this time with the idea that he would throw a pass. He was so exhausted he could hardly hang onto the ball.
But Fox's players loved him. As the season wore down, I would get them privately, where they could speak about their boss candidly and, if they insisted, off the record.
They didn't need privacy. They talked as if they were behind a lectern, on a stage. They believed Fox wanted to win as badly as they did. They offered the ultimate compliment. They considered him one of them.
The great untruth about Fox is that he is the man we saw and heard in news conferences. That was a just a show, a private competition to see how little he could say and how boring he could be.
In real life, he's interesting, he's funny, he's charismatic. I was reading a newspaper -- the Charlotte Observer if you must know -- in a coffee shop one morning, had the paper in front of my face. Somebody smacked it and yelled and I jumped. It was Fox.
He was good in his first gig as Carolina's head coach, although he did his best work in the early and middle years. He'll be better this time.
I'm glad Fox found a stellar job in Denver. He's a fine human being and a great coach. I wish him the very best.
Posted by: Gillian | January 13, 2011 at 04:56 PM
Good for John...he deserved to be a head coach again...not ALL of what happened in Charlotte this season can be pinned on him...good luck to him at Mile High!
Posted by: KY | January 13, 2011 at 05:08 PM
Praise him all you want but the bottom line is that he was unsuccessful and in his profession performance is vastly more important than admiration or personality.
Posted by: krusshall | January 13, 2011 at 05:12 PM
Good riddance . . .
Posted by: NC | January 13, 2011 at 05:32 PM
He's a good family man, a good coach, and a good person. He showed good leadership to his players, he dealt the hands given to him with conviction, and stayed true to his philosophy, agree or not. My hats off to him, he had a good run, and he'll be successful in Denver. With Elway there, he will likely need to add more balance with passing, not a bad thing. His defense will always be good.
Posted by: Dave Vinson | January 13, 2011 at 05:34 PM
Super Bowl appearance, 2 NFC Championship games, winning record... after taking over a 1-15 team. Yea, what a terrible resume.
Posted by: Kaiser | January 13, 2011 at 05:35 PM
Couldn't have happened to a better team. Broncos fans enjoy: (1) the draw, (2) no adjusments after halftime, (3) lots and lots of horrible USC players, (4) hugs and more hugs, (5) banana-pattern pass plays, and, of course, (6) 2-14.
Posted by: Jim Smith | January 13, 2011 at 05:46 PM
Do you think my boss will see me as a great employee by achieving my sales goals in only 3 out of the last 9 years? I'm really interesting and funny and charismatic as well. And the people I work with just love me.
Posted by: krusshall | January 13, 2011 at 05:56 PM
Yeah if think 3-13 is a BIG improvement...I hope Carolina play's the AFC west that's 1 win in the bag!
Posted by: hellfish | January 13, 2011 at 05:59 PM
WOW.....didn't see THAT one coming! Good for him!!!
Posted by: Luvnut | January 13, 2011 at 06:08 PM
So I guess all the oh so "knowledgeable fans" who said he wouldn't get a new HC gig despite what everyone who is the know was saying were wrong. Shocking ain't it?
GL to Fox. In the end it wasn't working here but there were good times as well.
Posted by: John | January 13, 2011 at 06:10 PM
Denver...wow! What a good job! Good luck Foxy! Hopefully they will let you dabble in freeagency unlike they did here.I guess you can assume we wont be looking for Orton in any deals now...
Posted by: crunchy | January 13, 2011 at 06:11 PM
Denver is probably saying the same thing about playing the Panthers.
Posted by: dcar | January 13, 2011 at 06:12 PM
krusshall- Classic Post! That sums it up quite well. It was time for a change. I know the Panthers will be better off. Time will tell with Denver, but I wish Fox well.
Posted by: Terry | January 13, 2011 at 06:15 PM
First interview and he gets hired.....great guy...good for him.....now lets see how many of the current Panthers will ditch the team and go with John.....hopefully all of them!
Posted by: KB | January 13, 2011 at 06:17 PM
Yeah, to all those who were relentlessly trashing Fox saying he'd NEVER be a head coach again - Go eat your words and learn from your mistakes that you know NOTHING about what you speak. He was a class act and great for the team. Time to move on, sure, but if we have an aggressive OC in the next couple of years who goes for the 'kill' and ends up loosing the game, I expect all you to come back TRASHING the coaches for NOT running a draw play on 3rd and long!
Posted by: Jon R. Patrick | January 13, 2011 at 06:24 PM
Good Luck Coach Fox!! You Did not deserve the hand you were dealt in Carolina the last couple of years!! They got rid of the wrong guy!
Posted by: Charlie | January 13, 2011 at 06:26 PM
Good for Foxy!! My relationship with Hurney went sour 3 years ago...Coach you are a better man than I.
Posted by: THFC | January 13, 2011 at 06:31 PM
Can we trade Marty Hurney to Denver for a couple of ski poles? Or would they consider that too high a price to pay?
Posted by: BarelyCareAnymore | January 13, 2011 at 06:36 PM
WOW again; just read the Denver reaction. It's kinda mixed, but sounds a lot like Charlotte comments.....http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=175436&catid=339
Posted by: Luvnut | January 13, 2011 at 06:41 PM
They did indeed get rid of the wrong guy. Should have been JR and the entire management team. Hopefully the Broncos will play the kitty kats and tear them a new azzhole. And let the Falcons do the dirty bird all over the kitty kats. Now my favorite team in the NFL will be whoever is playing the Carolina Panthers.
Posted by: Shane Douglas | January 13, 2011 at 06:42 PM
Good on you Coach Fox! You're better off away from the Marty & Jerry Show!!
Posted by: lanman | January 13, 2011 at 06:43 PM
Are all of you fox lovers dillusional or what? I don't care what coach it was, after A Coach Pisses away an entire season, sticking with a QB to remain loyal and too stubborn to change for the better of the team.
Yeah and that is just one issue. The supposed Lack of talent this year... Hmmm Defense played well and the 3 guys that were not here on the"O" side was Delhomme, Hoover and Moose. I hardly think those 3 would have made us a playoff team. Called lacking the ability to coach up young guys. To make them more skilled not if the players like him.
Tom it is about winning, not what emotional attachment you have to someone... So try to be a little less biased!!
Krusshall NICE!!!
Posted by: 10-4! | January 13, 2011 at 06:48 PM
He better get some good coordinators, especially offense or he won't be there long. Hey Tebow....I already know your play book. RUN RUN PASS PUNT...GO PANTHERS
Posted by: Pat Daddy | January 13, 2011 at 06:51 PM
He may very well be a fine human being, but he would have been better served if he had shown some of his personality when addressing the media and fans. To me, he came across as if he was lowering himself just to have a Monday press conference when making 6 mill a year. I know it must be hard to answer questions about a subject you have devoted your life to becoming an expert on, but when you suck at it, you should be a little more willing to answer them..like after the cardinals loss
Posted by: tom | January 13, 2011 at 06:55 PM