PHILADELPHIA - It was more like reality TV than a firing.
On the day Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie officially dismissed Andy Reid, whose performance the past couple of years had gone from average to awful, he also announced that he looks forward to the day Reid takes his place in the Eagles Hall of Fame.
That tells you how dysfunctional the Eagles are after 14 years with Reid, his family and their uncommon issues. Not the least of which was the death of their eldest child at Eagles training camp in Lehigh University due to a drug overdose. Lurie didn't go there.
Lurie proudly stated Reid is the winningest coach in Eagles with 140 victories. Didn't mention he's their losingest coach with 102 defeats.
"There is only one coach who can be the winningest coach in the history of an NFL franchise," Lurie said. Especially one that goes that far back as the Philadelphia Eagles. And that's Andy Reid."
There wasn't any applause. Earlier in the day Lurie got an ovation.
The Eagles videoed and choreographed almost every step of Reid's firing.
From 8:30 to 9, Reid got the word from Lurie.
At 10 a.m. Reid addressed his dismissal at the previously scheduled team meeting with players while the Eagles sent out the firing release.
Reid left and Lurie came in and spoke to the players as a whole.
"He told us of the time when he hired Andy and how it was the best decision he ever made," punter Mat McBriar said. "He spoke of their relationship. It was the longest owner-head coach relationship around. There definitely was some reflection there. He also said we're going to move forward and this is unacceptable, what's going on. It was good to hear from the owner. I think everyone knows we need to pick things up."
At 10:45 a.m. Eagles employees gathered to meet with Reid in the cafeteria. Lurie was on hand for the sendoff and said a couple of words, getting a standing ovation according to a team source. Reid thanked everyone and said he would be pulling for them to win a Super Bowl.
Later Reid met individually with various employees. It was an institutional form of grief counseling.
After breezing through the dismissal Lurie said Howie Roseman had proven his ability to evaluate talent in the 2012 draft and would remain as general manager. Lurie blamed the disastrous 2011 draft on someone else, who everyone figured out had to be former Eagles president Joe Banner, now the president of the Cleveland Browns.
While Lurie's penchant for taking the "much higher road" prevented him from identifying whose fault the draft was, Reid had the final say on personnel decisions.
"I'm not going to go into details," Lurie said.
Which leads to this: The new head coach reports only to Lurie, just as in the case of Reid. Roseman only works with the guy.
Though Lurie said the Eagles haven't scheduled any interviews, Dirk Koetter, the offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons, will meet with them according to reports. The coaching search will be exhaustive according to Lurie, and include the college ranks, where the Eagles are interested in Oregon's Chip Kelly according to sources.
Lurie said he will make the final decision on the coach, just as he did with Reid. Roseman and team president Don Smolenski will collaborate to narrow down the list of finalists. The best news is Roseman conceded the Eagles would consult people in the organization like Tom Donahoe and Ted Savage, real football guys, for their input.
Lurie, like someone selling a time-share, went into a rant explaining how the Eagles were one of the most desirable job openings. You were almost expecting someone to hand you a free mug on the way out.
"I'm very confident that this is the most attractive place for a head coach to work in the NFL," said Lurie, who touted the passionate fan base. "This is a huge media market. Prime time games. If you want to be at the forefront of NFL in America this is a top-four, top-five media market. Facilities, about the best facilities in the NFL. History of an owner-coach relationship, I think virtually unmatched. I think that the resources, any coach coming here knows there's no limitation on the resources in any direction, financial or otherwise that's put toward the football program. Everyone knows that in the league. I think that there's a winning culture, an organization used to winning."
Until lately, of course. The Eagles are 12-20 and have missed the playoffs the past two seasons.
The quarterback situation will have to be sorted out by the next coach. Lurie said Reid is impressed with Nick Foles. Remember, of course, Reid is on his way out. If Foles doesn't work out, guess who's culpable?
It was just another day at the NovaCare Complex, where the spin always seems greater than the performance.
And now Lurie is facing his biggest decision ever, one he put off another year because he feared firing Reid, who had two years left on his contract. Reid guided the Eagles to the bulk of their nine playoff appearances in his first seven years. Lurie previously hired Ray Rhodes as head coach, who made two playoff appearances in four years.
"In the end it's going to be a subjective decision on my part," Lurie said. "I take it very seriously. And there is no guarantee that I'll make a great decision. I'm confident I will. It is what it is - you're making judgments about people that you hope to work with 15 years or more."
If the new hire doesn't work out, the story will be chronicled on video. Just pay real close attention to the editing.