To understand how the shocking decision to fire iconic Broncos coach Mike Shanahan could have been made, one needs to understand team owner Pat Bowlen.

In recent years, Bowlen has not been afraid to speak of his mortality. He has made references to his eventual resting place in a pine box while still wearing his boots as Denver’s NFL franchise owner.

“I’ve only got so many years left in this chair,” Bowlen once said in an interview with The Denver Post. “The way that I will be judged after I’m gone is how many Super Bowls did I win. To my mind, that’s tantamount to everything else.”

By dismissing the coach he so steadfastly supported for the past 14 years, Bowlen demonstrated Tuesday his bottom line is wins and losses, not his financial ledger. There may have been many factors that went into the firing, but there was just one main reason: The Broncos, under Shanahan’s unilateral control, won just one playoff game in the past 10 years.

Bowlen decided that was not enough and called Shanahan into his office about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday and notified his coach he was going in a different direction. Shanahan left soon after, then called his coaches into a meeting about 2:30 p.m. to inform them.

“He said, ‘I hate to tell you this before everybody starts their vacation,’ and he told us Mr. Bowlen had decided to go in a different direction,” said Scott O’Brien, Broncos special- teams coordinator. “It was shocking to all of us. We were all disappointed with the season, but based on what we went through, nobody expected this. Anytime you go through the kind of injuries we had, it’s hard. I give Mike a lot of credit doing what he could do to keep going. But it’s a tough deal.”

The team issued a news release at midafternoon, with Bowlen stating: “After giving this careful consideration, I have concluded that a change in our football operations is in the best interests of the Denver Broncos. This is certainly a difficult decision, but one that I feel must be made and which will ultimately be in the best interests of all concerned.”

Decision surprised the coach

Bowlen’s decision surprised Shanahan, according to his son.

“Yeah, I think so,” said Kyle Shanahan, offensive coordinator for the Houston Texans. “I know I definitely was. When I look at their team as a coach, I thought he had one of his better coaching years, to tell you the truth. To put up the numbers they did offensively and do that without a running back for the first time in his tenure there, it was impressive how they moved the ball regardless.

“But I don’t think that was the point. It sounded like it was time to move on. I don’t totally disagree with that, but I do think he deserved another year, and I think he has the team set up to do well in the future.”

Mike Shanahan and Bowlen could not be reached for comment. Tuesday morning, Shanahan had been briefed on the team’s 2009 salary cap and team budget issues. He had scheduled his season-ending news conference for 11 a.m. today. Instead, Bowlen will meet with the media at 11 a.m., with Shanahan to follow.

Shanahan led the Broncos to their only Super Bowl championships, in the 1997 and 1998 seasons, and leaves tied for 15th all-time among NFL coaches, with 154 career wins.

But there were no Super Bowl appearances since 1998, no postseason appearances since 2005 and only one postseason victory since the last Super Bowl.

And, in 2008, the Broncos became the first NFL team since at least 1967 with the start of divisional play to have a three-game lead with three to play and not make the playoffs. The fact that the Broncos played 13 rookies and lost 16 players — including seven tailbacks — to injured reserve did not protect Shanahan in finishing out his contract, which runs through 2011 and was to pay him between $6.5 million and $7 million a season.

What about the assistant coaches?

Almost all of the Broncos’ assistant coaches are under contract at least through the 2009 season. Although Bowlen did not give pink slips to anyone but Shanahan, it is understood that the new head coach will have the right to pick his own staff. However, an NFL source said Bowlen wants to retain some of Shanahan’s assistants.

“I think my dad is more concerned about his staff than he is for himself,” Kyle Shanahan said. “Even though he was very confident (that) he was on his way to turning things around there, I think he’s OK with it because he’s so proud of everything he accomplished there.”

Who will be the Broncos’ new coach? Bowlen and Joe Ellis, the Broncos’ chief operating officer, already have a short list of candidates.

Candidates whose names are expected to come up could include former head coaches Bill Cowher, Bill Parcells, Jim Fassel and Steve Mariucci, and University of Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops. Bowlen has had connections to the University of Oklahoma since attending law school there.

The league requires teams to include minority candidates in coaching searches under a rule named for Pittsburgh owner Dan Rooney. Some hot minority candidates around the NFL are Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, Tampa Bay secondary coach Raheem Morris and San Diego defensive coordinator Ron Rivera.

There is reason for Bowlen and Ellis to consider an experienced coach: Nine of the past 11 Super Bowls were won by coaches who had been fired from a previous team. Included on this list of successful retreads was Shanahan. He was fired by Al Davis as the Raiders’ head coach in 1989, only to lead the Broncos to their only two Super Bowl titles.

At the time, Shanahan was considered “The Mastermind” who finally lifted legendary John Elway from repeated Super Bowl flop to two-time Super Bowl champion. But after losing Elway to retirement and star running back Terrell Davis to injury, the Broncos floundered.

Although Shanahan figures to become a top candidate to fill an existing head coach opening, Kyle said his dad may consider taking some time off.

“I thought Mike would coach here forever,” said Broncos running back Tatum Bell. “I loved playing for him. He definitely has a future coaching again in this league. It’s just 14 years is a long time to be with one team.”

Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com

Longest tenures

Mike Shanahan was tied for the longest NFL coaching tenure before Tuesday:

Coach, team … Seasons



Mike Shanahan, Broncos … 14 (1995-2008)



Jeff Fisher, Titans … 14 (1995-2008)



Mike Holmgren, Seahawks … 10 (1999-2008)



Andy Reid, Eagles … 10 (1999-2008)



Bill Belichick, Patriots … 9 (2000-08)

Broncos’ winningest coaches

The five most successful Denver coaches since the team was established in 1961:

Coach (Years) … Reg. season record … Playoffs



Mike Shanahan (1995-2008) … 138-86-0 … 8-5



Dan Reeves (1981-92) … 110-73-1 … 7-6



Red Miller (1977-80) … 40-22-0 … 2-3



John Ralston (1972-76) … 34-33-3 … 0-0



Lou Saban (1967-71) … 20-42-3 … 0-0

Coaching changes in 2008

Cleveland Browns – Romeo Crennel, fired (Dec. 29).



Denver Broncos – Mike Shanahan, fired (Dec. 30).



Detroit Lions – Rod Marinelli, fired (Dec. 29).



New York Jets – Eric Mangini, fired (Dec. 29).



Oakland Raiders – Lane Kiffin, fired (Sept. 30); Tom Cable (interim Sept. 30).



St. Louis Rams – Scott Linehan, fired (Sept. 29); Jim Haslett (interim, Sept. 29).



San Francisco 49ers – Mike Nolan, fired (Oct. 20); Mike Singletary (interim, Oct. 20).



Seattle – Mike Holmgren, retired (Dec. 28).

NFL’s best records since 1995

Team … W-L-T … Pct.

New England … 146-78-0 … .652



Green Bay … 140-84-0 … .625



Pittsburgh … 139-84-1 … .623



Denver … 138-86-0 … .616



Indianapolis … 138-86-0 … .616

Most rushing yards since 1995

Denver … 30,993



Pittsburgh … 29,822



Minnesota … 27,724



Kansas City … 27,684



Jacksonville … 27,582

Most total yards since 1995

Denver … 81,060



Minnesota … 78,747



Green Bay … 78,578



Indianapolis … 78,018



St. Louis … 76,605

Most points scored since 1995

Indianapolis … 5,547



Green Bay … 5,507



Denver … 5,449



New England … 5,293



Minnesota … 5,249