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Bowlen will explain why he made the move during a Wednesday news conference. Maybe a personal falling out was the reason behind Shanahan's ouster. Maybe it was Shanahan's refusal to make changes on his coaching staff, as reported by the Rocky Mountain News. Or maybe Bowlen wants to split the coaching and general manager positions into two. There is already speculation that Elway, who spent the past few years running an Arena League franchise, could be assuming a prominent spot in Denver's front office -- something that wasn't going to happen if Shanahan remained in place.
Otherwise, the timing of Shanahan's firing doesn't make much sense. The earlier cries for Shanahan's ouster in a decade that has produced just one playoff victory were justified. That's when Bowlen should have made this move.
But there were clear signs in 2008 that Shanahan had finally learned from his previous personnel mistakes. Even with this season's disappointing finish, there was legitimate reason for optimism about Denver's future. It didn't seem like it would be long before Shanahan would again be living up to the "Mastermind" nickname he earned during Denver's glory years.
Bowlen once proclaimed Shanahan his "coach for life." His ousting is a decision Bowlen may live to regret.
