BALTIMORE, Maryland (AFP) — Brian Billick, who guided the Baltimore Ravens to victory in the 2001 Super Bowl, was fired as coach of the National Football League club on Monday by team owner Steve Bisciotti.
The Ravens made the move less than a month after assuring Billick that he would return and one day after Baltimore completed a 5-11 season with a 27-21 victory over Pittsburgh.
"He's a very good friend of mine, he was very gracious to me when we met," Bisciotti said. "He gave me the confidence that it was true to go with my gut on this.
"I believe it was time to go with a change, I believe we have the nucleus of a team that can get back to the Super Bowl and we believe that within the next five years we have a better chance with a new coach."
Billick, 53, went 85-67 in nine seasons leading the Ravens, who won the AFC North division crown in 2006. He said he understood why Bisciotti reversed himself upon retaining Billick.
"He had to make a hard decision and he did what he believes is best for the Ravens," Billick said. "We are friends and will remain friends."
The season-ending triumph snapped a nine-game losing streak for the Ravens, who had not won since downing St. Louis 22-3 on October 14.
The victory enabled the Ravens to avoid matching their record-worst season of 4-12 in 1996, the year they moved to Maryland from Cleveland.
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