Reeves Says He Is About to Be Fired

Dan Reeves expects to be fired as coach of the New York Giants once the season ends with Saturday’s game against the New England Patriots. “I don’t think it’s going to end on a good note,” Reeves said Monday when asked about his future. “It’s sort of like a lot of things in life. There are certain ways you’d like it to end, but I don’t think it’s going to end that way.”

Reeves, who took over the Giants in 1993 after his contract with Denver was not renewed after 12 seasons and three Super Bowl appearances, has a year left on the five-year, $5-million contract he signed in replacing Ray Handley.

After leading New York to the playoffs in his first season and winning coach-of-the-year honors, the Giants (6-9) have posted below-.500 records the past two seasons and missed the playoffs the last three.

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Wayne Fontes is another coach who appears on the verge of joining the unemployed. The Detroit Lions likely will fire him after the season, ending his eight-year tenure, the Detroit News reported. The newspaper, citing an NFL source, said Fontes will coach the Lions for the last time next Monday night at San Francisco, barring an unexpected change of heart by team owner William Clay Ford.

Sunday’s 31-3 loss to the Green Bay Packers was the Lions’ eighth in nine games and left them at 5-10--tied with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for last place in the NFC Central and seven games behind the first-place Packers.