US Sports Desk, Dec 3 (EFE).- The Green Bay Packers fired head coach Mike McCarthy, who led the team to a Super Bowl title, following an embarrassing loss to the Arizona Cardinals over the weekend.
Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy cited Sunday’s 20-17 loss at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals, who had won just two games heading into the match-up in Green Bay, as the reason for making the move with four games left in the 2018 season.
“The 2018 season has not lived up to the expectations and standards of the Green Bay Packers. As a result, I made the difficult decision to relieve Mike McCarthy of his role as head coach, effective immediately,” Murphy said in a statement released Sunday.
Murphy and Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said during a press conference Monday that the team would look at a wide range of candidates, including interim head coach Joe Philbin, to replace McCarthy.
Under the 55-year-old McCarthy, who compiled a record of 125-76-2 in 12 seasons in Green Bay, the Packers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in Super Bowl XLV.
McCarthy took over the head coaching job in 2006 and only had two losing seasons – 2008 and 2017. He led the Packers to the playoffs nine times.
Before taking the Green Bay job, McCarthy spent a season as offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers and five in the same position with the New Orleans Saints.
The Packers are 4-7-1 and headed for back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1991.
McCarthy is the second National Football League (NFL) head coach to be fired this season and the first head coach in Packers history to be let go before the end of a season.
The Cleveland Browns parted ways with head coach Hue Jackson on Oct. 29.