"I'm of the opinion we've got one of the best coaches, head coaches, in the league. We're going to have our good years and our bad years - that's just the way our business works - but I think Mike's a very, very good coach and got quite a bit of time left on his current contract. . . . Mike's not going anywhere."

And by all accounts Tuesday, Bowlen looked out on this season's playoff miss - the team's third consecutive year out of the postseason - an 8-8 finish and a defense that staggered through the season.

Then he shocked the NFL.

After 14 years, Bowlen fired the winningest coach in Broncos history, parting ways with Mike Shanahan, who had delivered his only two Super Bowl trophies.

"After giving this careful consideration, I have concluded that a change in our Football operations is in the best interests of the Denver Broncos ," Bowlen said in a statement. "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.

"I appreciate the 21 years that Mike Shanahan has given to the organization as an assistant and head coach, and the two Super Bowl wins in that time. His contributions hold a special place in Broncos history."

Bowlen could not be reached for additional comment. Shanahan did not return messages. Both were expected to speak publicly at a news conference at 11 a.m. today.

Shanahan, who had two stints as a Broncos assistant coach to go with his tenure as a head coach, is 154-102 as a head coach with two Super Bowl wins.

Three league sources said Tuesday afternoon that in a short meeting, Bowlen had wanted Shanahan to make changes on the team's coaching staff, particularly with defensive coordinator Bob Slowik, and that Shanahan had refused.

Slowik is considered one of Shanahan's closest friends in the league - the two have known each other since being on the University of Florida's coaching staff from 1980 to 1982.

Shanahan had said immediately after the Broncos' season-ending loss in San Diego on Sunday night that there would be no change at defensive coordinator.

Privately, some Broncos officials quickly were disputing Tuesday night that Slowik's future was the tipping point, claiming Shanahan's departure has more to do with the erosion in the day-to-day relationship between Bowlen and Shanahan.

Defense a sore spot

As team officials said former general manager Ted Sundquist was fired after the 2007 season when he and Shanahan no longer communicated well enough to coexist in their jobs - Bowlen called it "dysfunctional" - there was a feeling at the Broncos complex the same kind of separation was growing between Shanahan and Bowlen in recent seasons.

There also was the matter of performance on the field and what was perceived as an increasing unrest among the fan base.

Since the team won the Super Bowl to close the 1998 season, the Broncos have one playoff win - against the Patriots in the divisional round in 2005 - and have missed the playoffs six times in the past 10 years, including the past three.

"I've known Mike for a long time, he's a good, good friend, and I've also gotten the opportunity to get to know Pat Bowlen very well over the years as well," said Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher, a longtime Shanahan friend from their days on the San Francisco 49ers staff. "And I know I speak for a lot of people when I say I'm disappointed this couldn't work out for both of them for whatever reason.

"The Broncos will continue to be a quality organization, and Mike is certainly capable of winning a lot of games. I know now that they've both decided to go different directions they'll both be successful."

Slowik, who joined the Broncos staff in 2005 as a defensive backs coach, was in his first season calling the defensive plays. The Broncos surrendered 448 points this season, breaking the franchise record of 409 points in 2007.

Free agents fell short

Bowlen looked visibly shaken after Sunday's loss to the Chargers. In that game, the Broncos allowed season highs in yards (491), rushing yards (289) and points (52). It also meant for the year, the defense finished 29th in the league overall and ranked 24th or worse in 16 major categories.

The Broncos also finished 4-4 at home this season - only the second time in Shanahan's tenure the team did not have a winning record at home.

Shanahan had taken plenty of public criticism for free-agent signings such as running back Travis Henry, who was arrested on federal drug Chargers earlier this year after a failed one-year stint with the team; punter Todd Sauerbrun, who was suspended four games for using banned substances and later cut after an altercation with a Denver cab driver; and defensive tackle Daryl Gardener, who signed a seven-year, $34.8 million contract in 2003 and then in July of that year tore ligaments in his right wrist during an early-morning altercation outside an Aurora pancake house.

Two of Shanahan's 2008 free agents, linebacker Niko Koutouvides and safety Marlon McCree, were in uniform down the stretch, but both were game-day inactives Sunday against the Chargers.

Also, until showing a greater commitment to the draft the past three years, the Broncos went through a stretch in which their draft picks didn't stay on their roster.

No players remain from the 2003 draft class, players who would have just completed their sixth seasons.

Linebacker D.J. Williams was the only player from the 10-member draft class in 2004 to still be on the roster until running back Tatum Bell was re-signed this past season, and Karl Paymah is the only player from the 2005 draft class - one that included the late Darrent Williams.

While it was unclear how many members of Shanahan's coaching staff, if any, would be retained, Tuesday's move could present a huge financial commitment for the Broncos if Shanahan or any assistant coaches who are fired don't take jobs with other teams.

Shanahan has three years remaining on his current contract, which was to go through 2011, so the Broncos would owe him in the neighborhood of $21 million if he didn't take another job during the next three years.

Financial complications

But some in the league believed Tuesday night that Shanahan, a two-time Super Bowl winner who is tied for 15th in NFL history in coaching victories, quickly would become a candidate for the New York Jets job with the possibility of working with son Kyle, who currently is the Texans' offensive coordinator.

The Broncos assistant coaches also are under contract through at least the 2009 season, and quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates, who had drawn interest from the University of Tennessee, recently was given a two-year extension by Shanahan and is under contract through 2011.

All of those contracts would have to be paid as well if those coaches were fired and didn't get jobs with other teams.

It could have quite a financial impact on the Broncos, who are facing a cash crunch like many businesses in tough economic times.

Shanahan also had complete power over the team's Football operations, so Bowlen could face additional expenditures if he makes an expected move toward a more traditional general manager/head coach structure.

Jim Goodman is the Broncos' vice president of Football operations
Longtime associates of Bowlen said Tuesday night that in the past, he has leaned toward people he knows when facing major decisions that would determine the direction of the search, but those associates also quickly pointed out Tony Dungy was on the top of the team's list of candidates in 2001 when Shanahan was in the hunt for the University of Florida job.

If the Broncos chose to retain Bates because of his contract situation and close relationship with quarterback Jay Cutler and hired a coach with a defensive background, the Titans' Jim Schwartz is expected to receive consideration.

Fisher long has said Schwartz is "ready to be a head coach."

Other candidates could be former Arizona Cardinals coach Dave McGinnis, Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and Baltimore defensive coordinator Rex Ryan.

If the team wanted to lean toward former Broncos assistants with offensive backgrounds, Mike Heimerdinger and Gary Kubiak could be potential candidates.

Heimerdinger is the Titans' offensive coordinator and Kubiak is believed to have two more years remaining on his contract as coach of the Texans.

INFOBOX

Mike Shanahan's Broncos record

Shanahan is the winningest coach in Broncos history

Season W L Pct. Playoffs

1995 8 8 .500

None

1996 13 3 .813

0-1, lost to Jaguars in divisional round

1997 12 4 .750

4-0, won Super Bowl XXXII

1998 14 2 .875

3-0, won Super Bowl XXXIII

1999 6 10 .375

None

Season W L Pct. Playoffs

2000 11 5 .688

0-1, lost to Ravens in wild card round

2001 8 8 .500

None

2002 9 7 .563

None

2003 10 6 .625

0-1, lost to Colts in wild card round

2004 10 6 .625

0-1, lost to Colts in wild card round

Season W L Pct. Playoffs

2005 13 3 .813

1-1, lost to Steelers in AFC Championship

2006 9 7 .563

None

2007 7 9 .438

None

2008 8 8 .500

None

Totals 138 86 .616

8-5, two Super Bowl titles