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In the wake of player unrest and a dismal season, Oakland Raiders coach Bill Callahan was fired on Wednesday.
A year after making the Super Bowl, the Raiders tied for the worst record in the NFL at 4-12 after losing 10 of their last 12 games. Oakland owns the second pick in the April draft.
In addition to the Raiders finishing with their worst record since they also were 4-12 in 1997, Callahan was criticized by some of the players. The most outspoken critic was four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Charles Woodson, who engaged in a running feud with Callahan through much of the season and is eligible to become a free agent in March.
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Callahan actually was fired early Tuesday, but requested that the club hold
any announcement until Wednesday for personal and family reasons. His contract
expired at the end of this season and owner Al Davis chose not to pick up a
series of one-year club options.
The 47-year-old Callahan posted a 15-17 regular-season record in his two years at the helm of the Raiders. He served as offensive coordinator from 1998-2001.
Oakland shared the worst record in the league this season with San Diego, Arizona and the New York Giants, closing out the year with a 21-14 loss at San Diego on Sunday. The Raiders, who lost to former coach Jon Gruden and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII, are seeking their third coach in six years.
Woodson and running back Charlie Garner were deactivated for the season-ending loss by Callahan for missing curfew. In his statement, Callahan said Woodson missed two bed checks the night before Sunday's game.
Woodson thought Callahan's decision to deactivate him was retribution for his criticizing the coach earlier in the season. In an ESPN interview, Woodson said Callahan was "unwilling to listen to the veterans."
However, Oakland was hammered by injuries this season, losing starting quarterback Rich Gannon, receiver Jerry Porter, most of the offensive line, defensive tackle John Parrella and outside linebacker Bill Romanowski for extended stretches.
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