Patriots Fire MacPherson : Pro football: He took over a 1-15 team and finished 6-10 in first season. But club was 2-14 in 1992, including 0-9 start.

Dick MacPherson was fired as coach of the New England Patriots on Friday night, two years and a day after taking the job he called a “limitless” opportunity.

“I dreamed of coming here and putting this thing together,” he said at a news conference. “I didn’t stop dreaming until right now.”

The move came after a day of discussions between attorneys for MacPherson and for team owner James Orthwein concerning a financial settlement. MacPherson had three years left on his guaranteed contract.

“Mac and I have held conversations where clear philosophical differences existed,” chief executive officer Sam Jankovich said at a news conference. “Coach Mac is a guy who cared a lot about this team and the players, but at the professional level the emphasis has to be on winning, and we weren’t getting there as I had hoped we would.”

MacPherson, 62, became New England’s coach when Rod Rust was fired after a 1-15 record in 1990. In 1991, the Patriots were 6-10. They slipped to 2-14 in 1992, including an 0-9 start.

After the first eight games this season, MacPherson was hospitalized with acute diverticulitis. It required surgery that kept him from his job until the final game.

Dante Scarnecchia, the special teams and tight ends coach, filled in during MacPherson’s absence. None of MacPherson’s assistants were fired, which reportedly would have been a requirement for MacPherson to remain.

“I feel that if you are the head coach of an organization, the ultimate blame should be put on you,” MacPherson said, “so if anybody goes, in my opinion, the head coach should go.”

Among those speculated to be potential replacements are high-profile former coaches Mike Ditka of the Chicago Bears and Bill Parcells of the New York Giants.

Others mentioned are college coaches Jackie Sherrill of Mississippi State, Steve Spurrier of Florida and Jim Sweeney of Fresno State and NFL assistants Dave Wannstedt of Dallas, Richie Petitbon of Washington and Tony Dungy of Minnesota.