Significant changes are in order for the struggling Ravens, from coach Brian Billick to his coaching staff to perhaps quarterback Kyle Boller.
During an hourlong, season-ending news conference yesterday, Steve Bisciotti said he is frustrated by missing the playoffs in two seasons as owner and demanded a different course of action to restore the Ravens as an elite franchise.
"We don't like losing," said Bisciotti, who has spoken publicly only a few times since taking over as principal owner in April 2004. "We are committed to turning it around. We are committed to making the tough decisions. I know that we need to improve our roster. I know we need to improve some of our coaching. Our fans' season starts in September, but ours starts today."
The shake-up began immediately with five assistant coaches fired yesterday (running backs coach Matt Simon, receivers coach David Shaw, secondary coach Johnnie Lynn, special teams coach Gary Zauner and special teams assistant Bennie Thompson), according to a league source.
There could be a similar transition at quarterback, where Billick acknowledged the Ravens are open to signing a veteran to compete with Boller for the starting job.
Even Billick had to agree to adapt his coaching style in order to stay. Bisciotti's most candid criticism was directed at the coach he decided to retain only six days ago.
"We have a Super Bowl-winning coach here who never experienced anything but over-achievement from the very first time he stepped in here," said Bisciotti, with Billick seated to his right. "This is the first year that I think that Brian underachieved ... but this is not a trend."
Billick, 51, transformed the Ravens from a perennial loser, guiding them to the playoffs in two of his first three seasons including the Super Bowl title in 2000. But he has failed to make the postseason in three of the past four years and stumbled to his worst record as coach at 6-10 this season.
Before allowing Billick to come back for his eighth season, Bisciotti needed assurances that the coach would act upon suggestions from the owner, general manager Ozzie Newsome and others within the organization.
"We thought a new and improved Brian Billick was the best chance for the Baltimore Ravens," Bisciotti said. "It wasn't done with huge threats ... it was done simply [as], `Look at the changes we need you to make and decide whether you'd like to change and stay here, or don't change and go somewhere else.' "
