CBS supplied it. Doug Marrone denied it.
And now Bills CEO Russ Brandon admits the truth is somewhere in the middle.
According to Tim Graham of the Buffalo News, the man who is de facto running the show until a new owner politely (or otherwise) asks for the keys says that the head coach recently got into an argument with team officials at practice. However, Brandon contends that the CBS-reported primary target of Marrone’s mad-ness (player personnel director Jim Monos) wasn’t even present.
Brandon tells Graham that Marrone argued with G.M. Doug Whaley and Brandon at practice. But Brandon naturally downplays the notion that the argument had a negative impact on the situation in Buffalo.
“This is the best working relationship I have seen, to be honest, between a coach and a G.M.,” Brandon said. “They’re great competitors and communicators.”
On Friday afternoon, PFT reported that Marrone’s frustrations arise from the twelfth-hour decision to throw eight figures over two years at quarterback Kyle Orton, who managed to stay away from all of training camp and the preseason before getting paid handsomely (as opposed to being paid neck-beardedly). Marrone believes that Orton’s arrival threatens to shake the confidence of an already not-so-confident starter, EJ Manuel.
It’s predictable that Marrone would deny having any argument and that Brandon, while acknowledging an argument and necessarily contradicting Marrone, would vouch for the quality of the working relationship. The next owner will be inclined to fire everyone; they need to create the perception that everything is going so smoothly that it would be a mistake to do that.
The best way to remain employed, of course, will be to win a lot of football games, starting tomorrow in Chicago.
Or maybe starting in Week Two.