Breaking News: Brian Billick FINALLY Fired

The first major coaching move that isn't Bobby Petrino has been made. FOX Sports is reporting that Baltimore Ravens head coach Brian Billick has been fired after one of the worst seasons in franchise history. This comes a couple of weeks after Billick assured himself he would be safe as far as his job goes. Here is what Jay Glazer is reporting:

The team fired their head coach Monday, FOXSports.com has learned, capping an extremely disappointing season.

This comes one day after FOX Sports reported that the players and other employees informed team owner Steve Biscotti that Billick had completely lost the locker room and could not win them back.

Billick was hired as an offensive guru but during his tenure it was his defenses that won for the Ravens, especially their Super Bowl title. Over time Billick was unable to get his QBs to star and his offenses stalled year in and year out.

Earlier this year he proclaimed that he had been given the vote of confidence from Biscotti but that was never confirmed and was obviously not true.

This is definitely the right move if you are Baltimore. I am quite sure that the loss to Miami and the loss to New England did the trick.

Brian Billick, seen here on Match Game, can play some more game shows after being let go by the Ravens today.

The next step for Baltimore is who will be their next head coach? I'm stumped as far as who they would want to hire, but this is a move that had to be made. I'll try and get more detail into this piece. But as a breaking report, Brian Billick has been fired after a 5-11 season.

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Update: ESPN has confirmed this report, as well as the Baltimore Sun and Sportsline.com

Update #2: How about this? The entire staff has been fired now.

Pittsburgh GunnyMajor Leaguer

700 days ago

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Dumb Dora was soooooo dumb.....

"How dumb was she?"

Ha I remember Match Game.

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Falcon02520Legend

700 days ago

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Rex Ryan for president?

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SSreportersLegend

700 days ago

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Rex Ryan and Joe Gibbs are experts as far as timeouts are concerned.

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Behbigben15All-Star

700 days ago

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FINALLY!!!

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CoreyisarealboyMajor Leaguer

700 days ago

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I say this every time a coach gets fired. An "offensive guru?" Name one player on the Ravens' offense who you rank in your top ten at that position. I don't know how you can be an offensive guru with virtually no talent on your offense. But if he had lost the locker room, I can say the firing is justified.

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Falcon02520Legend

700 days ago

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What you talkin bout Willis? Five wins, team is slipping away, and Willis McGahee is a top ten running back in my mind...

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SSreportersLegend

700 days ago

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Five wins against the Cardinals, Rams, 49ers, Steelers (resting starters), and the Jets. That doesn't sound too hot to me.

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CoreyisarealboyMajor Leaguer

700 days ago

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Borderline top ten at best in mine. He's scored over 10 touchdowns only once in his career and hasn't had more than seven the last three seasons. I honestly don't see a player on the Ravens offensive roster and say, "Oh man, I would really like to see him on my team!"

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CoreyisarealboyMajor Leaguer

700 days ago

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That's not my point. Vince Lombardi couldn't take this Ravens team to the playoffs.

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Falcon02520Legend

700 days ago

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Todd Heap...

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CoreyisarealboyMajor Leaguer

700 days ago

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Again, borderline, especially now that he was hurt all season.

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Bobbyjim45Draft Pick

699 days ago

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Jonathan Ogden.

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CheezerAll-Star

699 days ago

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Todd Heap

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Anonymous Fanatic #1

697 days ago

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Brian Billick was regarded as being responisble for running some of the most ingenious offensive plays in the NFL, most noteabley when he was the offensive coordinator for the Vikings. Billick was known as an offensive guru because of his work as an offensive coordinator BEFORE he became head coach of the Ravens. He wasnt called an offensive guru because of anything or any player on the Ravens.

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Falcon02520Legend

700 days ago

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speaking of the Ravens... would Troy Smith be your starter for next season?

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SSreportersLegend

700 days ago

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Yes, he has performed well, and won last night. But I'd still draft someone like Matt Ryan.

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Falcon02520Legend

700 days ago

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then was there a point in taking Smith if there is no feeling that he could be a future impact player in this league? Its not like he was a late sixth round after thought, he won a Heisman...

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SSreportersLegend

700 days ago

Score 1

You are going to need back ups, so I'd think about doing some tryouts.

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Steel TownDraft Pick

700 days ago

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I think you go with Smith next year.

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CoreyisarealboyMajor Leaguer

700 days ago

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I don't think you have a choice. The McNair experiment didn't work, and Kyle Boller should've been out of a job years ago. Smith gets in the same way Kyle Orton becomes the Bears starter next year.

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LASportsblogAAA-er

700 days ago

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He was undrafted, so ya he kinda was an afterthought.

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LASportsblogAAA-er

700 days ago

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But if I was the Ravens I'd make a run at McNabb and look at Smith as my future, call it a bargain you got Smith.

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Ea34Div-I Stud

700 days ago

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I don't know how effective McNabb would be in Baltimore. His mobility is not what it once was, he's not particularly accurate and his best season in the NFL came when he had a superstar WR (T.O.). McNabb is no longer a franchise QB and will need to move into a sitution where he'll be surrounded by talented offensive players to be an impact guy.

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Falcon02520Legend

700 days ago

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Smith was drafted (5th round)

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LASportsblogAAA-er

700 days ago

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Thank you for the correction =)

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Ea34Div-I Stud

700 days ago

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I agree that the Ravens are not exactly stocked with offensive talent, but isn't that kind of Billick's fault too? After all these years with the team, including a Super Bowl win, Billick must have had enough influence on personnel decision to bring in some of his kind of guys on offense. That the Ravens have been this pathetic on offense for this long is ridiculous!

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DRE-LOAAA-er

700 days ago

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Brian Billick's message was growing stale and repetitive and his experiment of controlling the offense continued to plummet with each questionable offensive decision that he's made. He was brought here with a reputation of an offensive guru because he was the O-coordinator of the Vikes in 1998. But it never materialized in Baltimore. Not even in 2000 when they won the Super Bowl did they have a great offense, it did enough on the back of one of the great defenses ever. Imagine if great defenders such as Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Chris Mcallister had an offense that would at least allow them to breathe every once in a while. While still playing at a great level, they're breaking down now because of the amount of time they spend on the field. Billick never fixed it and his experiment as offensive boss flopped. Willis Mcgahee has to be a top 5 back in the league for having the year he had with such an inept paaaing game. You know who was the winningest QB under the tenure of Brian Billick?? Kyle Boller. KYLE FRICKING BOLLER!! As soon as Baltimore lost to Miami {which I predicted would happen}, it was curtains for Billick.

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DRE-LOAAA-er

700 days ago

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passing game. not paaaing game. Apparently, I've had a few too many.

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InThaKnowDraft Pick

700 days ago

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George Bush is to Intelligence as Brian Billick is to Offensive Mastermind Thats all I have have to say  :)

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False ProphetAll-Star

699 days ago

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Billick couldn't get it done in Bal, which is suprising. He coached the 2nd highest scoring offense in history. Although, he's never been given a lot of offensive talent.

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Napoleon15Red-Shirting

699 days ago

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It's too bad that Billick got fired; I don't like the Ravens. Anyway, maybe Mike Shanahan will be next in line.

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False ProphetAll-Star

699 days ago

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Shanahan getting fired would be a HUGE mistake. You can't adapt to losing 2 Top CBs very easily, especially when they were so sudden. He has a remarkable history as a good coach, and to fire him would be to be a big front office mistake.

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Napoleon15Red-Shirting

698 days ago

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We didn't lose two top cornerbacks; we lost CB Darrent Williams and backup RB Damien Nash. Mike Shanahan's recent playoff successes make Marty Schottenheimer look like Vince Lombardi. Plus, the offense has been pathetic ever since Gary Kubiak left, showing who the REAL "Mastermind" was (Kubiak).

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False ProphetAll-Star

698 days ago

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sorry, still, losing a Starting CB is a big loss. Second, he's had 2 losing seasons, one of which was after 2 HOFers who were key in winning their 2 Super Bowls retired. He still lead his team to 2nd place in the division. Firing him would be a big mistake

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Napoleon15Red-Shirting

698 days ago

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Yes, he has a good record, but he's had a talented team and Gary Kubiak for all but the last two of those years.

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False ProphetAll-Star

697 days ago

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still, that doesn't mean you fire him because he had a bad season the year after his OC left.

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Cougar2000All-American

698 days ago

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All that offensive talent wasted away. Oh well, at least the Falcons could put him on their short list.

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Smitty 13JV Squad

698 days ago

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you knew he was gone when ray lewis called him out after he called time out on a fourth down stop earlier this year.

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