Izzo upset over firing of friend Mariucci

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Tweet The Detroit Lions fired coach Steve Mariucci on Monday and promoted defensive coordinator Dick Jauron to succeed him on an interim basis.

Mariucci's record with the Lions was 15-28. His 2003 hiring was hailed by fans and media alike, but he was not able to turn around a team that has only won one playoff game since 1957.

After Detroit lost 27-7 to the Atlanta Falcons on Thanksgiving and fell to 4-7, reports swirled that the team was considering firing Mariucci. When Mariucci was not let go over the weekend, some thought his job was safe for the final five games of the regular season.

"We started off this season with high expectations. I believed this was a roster that was capable of making a playoff run," team president Matt Millen said at an afternoon news conference. "We have not lived up to our expectations. We have underachieved as a football team."

Millen, who said the decision to fire Mariucci was made Monday, also fired offensive line coach Pat Morris and tight ends coach Andy Sugarman.

MSU men's basketball head coach Tom Izzo, Mariucci's longtime friend, voiced his disappointment in the firing at his weekly press conference Monday, but he did not reveal specifics on what he knew since his press conference took place before an official announcement had been made by the Lions.

"I know some things … I don't want to say the wrong thing, I don't want to say the right thing," said Izzo, visibly shaken. "I understand what's going to happen today … there'll be some people that'll be real happy, some people who aren't really disappointed, some people that helped cause this."

Mariucci and Izzo's friendship dates back to their childhoods in northern Michigan. They were teammates and co-captains for three different sports at Iron Mountain High School. They also were roommates at Northern Michigan University, where Mariucci captained the football team and Izzo captained the basketball team.

Izzo said he tried to remind Mariucci on Sunday that the media has a history of trying to run head coaches out of town.

"It's the way the profession is, but it's been made that way by very, very poor reporting, talk radio, Internet and all the people that don't have enough ability to do their homework," Izzo said. "If that sounds vindictive to Steve Mariucci, then print it. But if you do your homework and everything I said is untrue, then print that."

Mariucci has more than two years remaining on the $25 million contract he signed in 2003. Before coming to Detroit, Mariucci spent six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, compiling a 60-43 record and leading the team to two NFC West titles and four playoff berths.

Upon arriving in Detroit, Mariucci was cut some slack because the team he inherited was crafted by Millen. Expectations were high heading into his third season, though.

But former MSU star Charles Rogers missed most of his first two seasons with injuries and was suspended for four games this year for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. And both Roy Williams and Mike Williams have struggled to stay healthy.

Detroit's quarterback situation also hurt Mariucci's chances for success. Joey Harrington, the third overall pick in 2002, has failed to be consistent throughout his career.

"I never thought I could say this in my life, but I'm happy for Steve Mariucci," Izzo said. "I really am because nobody deserves to have a gun to your head every week and those people that say, 'That's the profession you're in,' that's BS."

Staff writer Esther Gim contributed to this report.

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