Hope Isn’t Enough To Save Fontes’ Job Lions Fire Coach After Eight Seasons Of Promise

Wayne Fontes, who won and lost more games than any coach in Detroit Lions’ history, was fired Thursday after the team’s worst performance in four years.

A playoff flop, Fontes was dismissed after eight seasons, making him the sixth NFL coach to lose his job since the season ended last weekend. It was no surprise because Fontes’ job has been in jeopardy for the past three seasons.

“I want to say it’s been a great eight years,” said Fontes, who made a surprise appearance at the news conference where team owner William Clay Ford announced the firing. “We gave you guys some hope. When we came here, we never had that.”

Fontes, with one year left on his contract, goes out with a 67-71 record, including 5-11 this season.

He was only 1-4 in the NFL playoffs, and that, as much as anything, led to his downfall.

“He whetted our appetite by winning that first playoff game,” Ford said. “But this is the culmination of a lot of things, topped off by the fact that this season was such a disappointment.”

His son, team vice chairman William Clay Ford Jr., agreed.

“You never like to see somebody lose their job,” Ford Jr. said. “Wayne will be remembered as a guy who took us to levels of success we didn’t have before he got here. The problem was he couldn’t take us to that next level.”

Fontes did not take any questions from reporters.

“Don’t feel sorry for me,” said Fontes. “It’s a chapter in my life that’s over.”

The Lions got off to a 4-2 start this season, but they began slipping when injuries undermined an already undermanned defensive unit. And the offense, which last year was the most prolific in the NFL, was not nearly as productive.

Despite having such established players as Barry Sanders, Herman Moore, Brett Perriman and Scott Mitchell, the Lions had their worst record under Fontes since 1992, when they also were 5-11.

“It’s not like the coroner’s office,” Ford said. “I didn’t have a death certificate. But, from the time we were mathematically eliminated, I guess my mind was made up.”

Fontes, who has said he has no interest in coaching again, said he would remain in the community, take part in golf outings and enjoy time with his family.

“The Lions have never been cheap,” said Fontes, who gave Ford a big hug. “This is the best owner in the NFL.”

The Lions closed the 1995 season with a seven-game winning streak, then lost 58-37 to the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC wild-card game. It was downhill after that.

Did the Lions perhaps stay with Fontes too long? “No, I don’t think so,” Ford said. “We looked on last year’s playoff loss as an aberration.”

Ford said he had no immediate replacement for Fontes. The list of candidates likely will include former New York Giants coach Dan Reeves, former New Orleans coach Jim Mora, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Pete Carroll and Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Jim Fassel.

Fontes, who had been defensive coordinator, guided the Lions to a 2-3 record as interim coach after Darryl Rogers was fired during the 1988 season. Fontes was hired as coach Dec. 22, 1988. He led Detroit to a 7-9 record in 1989 and a 6-10 finish in 1990.

Then things got interesting.

The Lions had a six-game winning streak to finish the 1991 season 12-4. Fontes was selected NFL Coach of the Year by The Associated Press.

In the playoffs, the Lions beat the Dallas Cowboys 38-6 and were thinking Super Bowl. Then they were beaten 41-10 by the Washington Redskins in the NFC championship game.

Still, it looked like Fontes had a solid foundation upon which to build. Then tragedy struck. Former Washington State University offensive tackle Mike Utley was paralyzed in a late-season game against the Rams, and Eric Andolsek was killed in a freak accident while mowing his lawn.

That contributed to the disappointing record in 1992 and the rebuilding started over. It went fairly well. The Lions were 10-6 in 1993, 9-7 in 1994 and 10-6 in 1995. But they lost their first playoff game each time.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Out of work NFL coaches to lose their jobs in the past week: Wayne Fontes, Detroit Lions Rich Kotite, New York Jets Dan Reeves, New York Giants Rich Brooks, St. Louis Rams June Jones, Atlanta Falcons Mike White, Oakland Raiders