Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo is one of the most likely coaches to get fired on Black Monday, but no one seems to know for sure what will happen in St. Louis.
He’s 10-37 over the last three years, which is hard to overcome. But he hasn’t lost all support.
Bryan Burwell of St. Louis Post-Dispatch made the case on Friday to keep Spagnuolo. Burwell says Spagnuolo is a true leader and Rams players still believe in Spagnuolo.
Keeping Spagnuolo would be an unpopular choice among fans, where the team may struggle to sell tickets in 2012. Owner Stan Kroenke would probably have to extend Spagnuolo’s contract or he’d be a “lame duck” coach entering next year.
Howard Balzer of espn101.com in St. Louis also makes the case for Spagnuolo, saying Kroenke has a tough decision to make. Balzer expects Spagnuolo’s leadership probably won’t be enough to keep his job in this “short attention span society.”
The NFL has always been a short attention span society. Right or wrong, coaches have never been allowed to survive 2-14 years in their third season. Coaches have never been brought back after going 10-37 in three years.
Keeping Spagnuolo would be a bold statement by Kroenke. The Rams would be saying they truly believe Spagnuolo is a great head coach.
If nothing else, Spagnuolo still has believers in his locker room and in the St. Louis media.