National Football League

Fewell picked to replace Jauron as Bills coach

Published Nov. 18, 2009 1:29 a.m. ET

foxsports

The Buffalo Bills promoted coordinator Perry Fewell to take over as interim head coach after Dick Jauron was fired on Tuesday. Bills owner Ralph Wilson ran out of patience with Jauron, who ran out of time to build a contender or come up with a way to fix an offense that sputtered even with the addition of star receiver Terrell Owens. The shakeup, which caught some players by surprise, came during the players' day off and after the Bills stumbled out of their off week to fall further out of contention with a 41-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. The Bills have a 3-6 record. Fewell is in his 12th NFL season, and fourth with Buffalo as the team's defensive coordinator, after being hired by Jauron, whose background is primarily on the defensive side. Fewell is the team's fifth head coach since Wade Phillips was fired after the 2000 season, and the team's first black head coach. Wilson credited Fewell for having done "a great job with our defense and demonstrated excellent leadership skills." Wilson also added that Bills players and staff have a lot of confidence in Fewell. Fewell, who's never been a head coach at any level, will make his debut on Sunday when the Bills play Jacksonville. Wilson described his decision to change coaches as a difficult one, but one "for the best interest of our team." "I really don't have anything to say," was all Jauron would say when reached on his cell phone by The Associated Press. Celebrating their 50th season, the Bills are in jeopardy of missing the playoffs for a 10th straight year.