The Denver Broncos have announced that coach Mike Shanahan has agreed to a three-year extension. His contract now runs through the 2011 season.
Not bad for a guy who has been to only one AFC title game since winning nearly a decade ago back-to-back championships with a roster that was held together via salary cap shenanigans.
At a time when the NFL has morphed from a "What have you done for me lately?" proposition to a "What are you doing for me right now, and what can I get out of you tomorrow?" deal, Shanahan is the rarest of all rarities -- a head coach who continues to hold his job despite a chronic inability to climb to the top of the mountain.
And ultimate success in the NFL is judged by whether a team can win the ultimate prize. In most cities. In Denver, carefully crafted statistical observations like "Shanahan is one of only three coaches in the 87-year history of professional football with more championships than losing seasons with one team among those with at least 10 years with that club" will instead justify a virtual lifetime arrangement.
In 2006, Shanahan's Broncos flamed out after a strong start, missing the postseason for the first time since 2002. The Broncos also failed to qualify for the playoffs in 1995, 1999, and 2001.
So, in twelve seasons, Shanahan is 7-5 when it comes to makes the playoffs. It's good but not great; Coach Chin was 10-5 in that category through 15 seasons with the Steelers, and the Big Show is 11-4 in 15 years with the Packers and the Seahawks.
Even Denny Green had eight playoff appearances in ten years with the Vikings. Even with three crappy years in Arizona added to his resume, Green's 8-5 playoff-or-not mark is better than Shanahan's.
So, in our view, the entire Shanahan body of work is not nearly good enough to get a three-year extension, at a time when he has two full years left on his current contract.
Then again, it doesn't surprise us. Owner Pat Bowlen has held Shanahan to a far different standard than the bar that over the past 12 years has claimed many other coaches. Every NFL coach so be so fortunate.