Bucs fire Gruden, hire Morris
Coach, GM dismissed after late-season fade
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Hours after firing Jon Gruden in a surprise move, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers settled on defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as their new coach.
The move to promote the 32-year-old Morris was confirmed late last night by a person familiar with the decision who requested anonymity because the team had not yet scheduled an official announcement.
Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen were dismissed earlier in the day, three weeks after the team completed one of the biggest collapses in NFL history, losing four straight following a 9-3 start to miss the playoffs.
Director of pro personnel Mark Dominik, who has been with the Bucs for 14 seasons, will replace Allen.
Gruden was a rising star when he was hired seven years ago and took a team built by Tony Dungy to the Super Bowl. But Gruden only guided the Bucs to the postseason twice after becoming the youngest coach to win the NFL title in January 2003.
That wasn't nearly enough for the sons of owner Malcolm Glazer, who took their time before deciding they had seen enough of aging quarterbacks, mediocre drafts, and a coach and general manager who often pinned the blame for poor finishes on injuries.
Morris has been a fast climber, too. He was the Bucs' defensive backs coach the past two seasons, and was promoted to defensive coordinator on Christmas Day, filling a vacancy that opened when Monte Kiffin decided to join his son, Lane, at the University of Tennessee.
The former Hofstra player and assistant coach, who recently interviewed for the opening to replace Mike Shanahan with the Denver Broncos, has been with Tampa Bay for six seasons over two stints.
Dominik joined the Bucs in 1995 and served in a number of personnel and scouting positions before being named director of pro personnel eight years ago.
Gruden, 39 when the Bucs beat Oakland in the Super Bowl, went 60-57 in seven seasons, including a 3-2 mark in the playoffs. Allen was general manager for the last five seasons in a reunion of a relationship that began when both were with the Raiders.
"This is the toughest decision you can make for an NFL franchise . . . Jon and Bruce are consummate professionals. They've poured their heart and soul into this franchise," Buccaneers co-chairman Joel Glazer said. "It's really been an honor to work with them. They gave their all."
The Bucs were tied for first place in the NFC South heading into December, but finished with losses to Carolina and Atlanta on the road and San Diego and Oakland at home, where they had been 6-0.
The 9-7 record this season gave Gruden consecutive winning records for the first time since arriving in Tampa Bay, yet still left the Bucs out of the playoffs for the fourth time in six years.
