Redskins fire Schottenheimer, hire Spurrier

ASHBURN, VIRGINIA - Steve Spurrier became the highest paid coach in the NFL on Monday, signing a $25 million, five-year deal with the Washington Redskins.

The Redskins announced the signing of Spurrier one day after firing Marty Schottenheimer as coach. Spurrier, who abruptly left Florida on Jan. 4 after a successful 12-year run at the University of Florida, will be introduced Tuesday at a news conference at Redskin Park.

"Steve Spurrier will bring a supercharged, exciting and dynamic brand of football to our great fans," owner Dan Snyder said in a statement. "His ability to energize players and teams is unprecedented. The Redskins deserve to be back at the Super Bowl, and I am immensely confident that Steve is the coach to get us there."

The size of the contract, confirmed by a team source speaking on condition of anonymity, makes Spurrier the highest paid coach in the NFL. The previous high was $4 million a year for Seattle's Mike Holmgren as coach and general manager.

Spurrier will be the coach and only the coach, eliminating the possibility of the type of conflict that led Snyder to dismiss Schottenheimer, who was also the director of football operations.

Snyder met several times during the last week with Schottenheimer, including twice Sunday, in an attempt to get the coach to renegotiate a clause in his contract that gave him the ultimate authority over player-related matters. Schottenheimer indicated he would have accepted the hiring of a general manager, but he wouldn't change his contract and was fired Sunday night.

"Dan Snyder and I have agreed on many things," Schottenheimer said Monday. "The issue we could not resolve, however, involved the process of selecting the players that would make up the Washington Redskins' roster. ...

"Make no mistake about it, Dan Snyder and I shared exactly the same purpose. ... Our only difference was the means by which we would achieve it."

Schottenheimer will receive the $7.5 million remaining on the four-year, $10 million contract he signed a year ago, with the Redskins picking up the difference in contracts if Schottenheimer signs with another team.

The Redskins went 8-8 in his only season, becoming the first NFL team to go from 0-5 to 5-5.

Schottenheimer, who ended a two-year retirement to join the Redskins, said he wants to coach again, a distinct possibility given the opening with the Carolina Panthers. Schottenheimer has a home in North Carolina. He said in his next job he wouldn't necessarily demand the absolute control he felt with necessary under Snyder.

"You're away from anything for a couple of years, and you think that you're still capable but you're not sure," Schottenheimer said. "Having been back for a year, I can do it."

"It was my belief that our way would have been the most successful way," Schottenheimer said.

That vital clause in Schottenheimer's contract was highly touted by Snyder when he gave Schottenheimer the title of director of football operations a year ago, but debatable personnel moves made the owner decide that he'd swung too far from hands-on to hands-off.

"Coach Schottenheimer gave 100 percent of his efforts to the Redskins and made positive contributions to the team," Snyder said. "Our decision was a difficult one and was based on philosophical and management issues, not on coaching ability."

The Redskins will now hire a general manager or someone with a similar title, with Bobby Beathard, Ron Wolf, Bruce Allen and Vinny Cerrato among the possible candidates.

Spurrier became the country's most-wanted coach after he suddenly quit Florida and declared himself ready to take on the NFL. A colorful sideline presence and a mastermind at offensive game-planning, Spurrier won six Southeastern Conference titles and one national championship, and went 122-27-1 in his 12 seasons with the Gators.

His hiring would represent the type of high-profile signing preferred by Snyder, whose players have included Deion Sanders, Bruce Smith and Jeff George.

Spurrier's offense would offer a stark contrast from the conservative approach used by Schottenheimer.

"If it's Steve Spurrier, you're talking about an individual who's going to come in here with some real energy, an offensive mindset," cornerback Darrell Green said. "Offense is what puts people in the seats and excites the team. That's something we need desperately."

While Snyder felt Schottenheimer's job as coach was acceptable, the owner was perplexed by Schottenheimer's decision to release fullback Larry Centers, who was signed by Buffalo and had a Pro Bowl year. Schottenheimer also stuck with George -- with no experienced backup -- through training camp even though it was apparent the quarterback didn't fit Schottenheimer's West Coast system.

Those decisions, and the early losing streak, soured a Snyder-Schottenheimer relationship that started out so well. The two vacationed in Europe together, the coach called the owner "Dan" in public, and they even wore matching straw hats at training camp.

By the end of the season, the two were speaking less often, and Schottenheimer was calling the owner "Mr. Snyder."

A tough training camp regimen and the early losses also nearly caused a player revolt, but an air-it-out team meeting helped turn the season around. The Redskins won eight of their last 11 games, mirroring the 8-8 finish after an 0-5 start in Joe Gibbs' first season in 1981. Gibbs went on to win three Super Bowls in Washington.

The Redskins haven't had a losing season since Snyder bought the team for $800 million in 1999, but Spurrier would be his fourth coach. Turner was 10-6 in 1999, and Turner and interim Terry Robiskie combined for an 8-8 record in 2000.

Asked about the Washington coaching carousel of which he's now a part, Schottenheimer managed a subtle parting shot: "Stability enhances your ability to be successful."