Mornhinweg Sent Packing, Finally, by Detroit

The Detroit Lions fired Coach Marty Mornhinweg on Monday -- a month later than expected.

After a 3-13 season and a 5-27 record in two years, it was surprising when Detroit Chief Executive Matt Millen said Dec. 31 that Mornhinweg would return for another season.

Millen, a former linebacker who won four Super Bowl rings with three teams, was hired two years ago with no front office experience. He then hired Mornhinweg, who had never been a head coach at any level.

Now Millen is looking for a new coach. At Monday’s news conference, Millen became agitated and thumped a podium with his fist when it was suggested that the franchise he’s in charge of looks like a disaster.

“Whatever it takes to get us to win, you do,” Millen said. “And if it takes changing the head coach, then that’s what you do. You don’t sit idly by and you don’t worry about how it’s going to look. I don’t care. I want to win and I want to win now.”

Mornhinweg could not be reached for comment, but is expected to comment today.

Steve Mariucci, a Michigan native who was fired earlier this month as coach of the San Francisco 49ers, appears to be the leading candidate for the job.

Millen said he would support the NFL’s effort to promote diversity among head coaches by possibly interviewing Lion assistant Sherm Lewis and former Minnesota Viking coach Dennis Green.

The Lions did not fire the rest of Mornhinweg’s staff, including recently hired Bobby Williams. Earlier this month, Mornhinweg hired the former Michigan State coach to be the Lions’ running back coach.

*

Dwayne Goodrich of the Dallas Cowboys was arrested on three new charges in a hit-and-run accident that killed two people.

Goodrich was taken into custody at his home, then posted $15,000 bail and was released from jail. He already had been free on $50,000 bond on two manslaughter charges.

On Jan. 14, Goodrich -- a reserve defensive back -- drove his car at more than 100 mph between a concrete barrier and a burning car that was in an earlier accident, police say.

A passenger in the burning car was trying to free the driver when Demont Matthews, 23, and Joseph Wood, 21, pulled to the side of the road and ran to help. According to police, Goodrich’s car ran into all three men, killing Matthews and Wood. The third man broke a leg.

Goodrich earlier was charged in the deaths of Matthews and Wood. The new charges are for failing to stop and help the victims, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

*

San Diego Charger middle linebacker Donnie Edwards was added to the AFC Pro Bowl team after Denver’s Al Wilson and Pittsburgh’s Kendrell Bell pulled out. It will be Edwards’ first Pro Bowl appearance.... John Bonamego was hired as the Green Bay Packers’ special teams coordinator.