Bills Dismiss Phillips as Coach After 8-8 Season

The Buffalo Bills fired coach Wade Phillips late Sunday night, ESPN.com reported.

Team owner Ralph Wilson dismissed the coach because Phillips declined to make staffing changes suggested by Wilson last week.

One team source and another source close to Phillips confirmed the firing for CBS SportsLine.com and said the decision would be announced today. Neither Phillips nor Wilson could be reached for comment.

It is uncertain what effect the firing will have on the Bills’ ongoing discussions with former Pittsburgh director of football operations Tom Donahoe about becoming general manager.

Wilson met last Tuesday with Phillips and told him that his fate would be decided by the incoming general manager. But apparently Wilson became impatient and decided the time had come to end Phillips’ tenure.

Buffalo slumped to 8-8 this season and failed to make the playoffs for the first time in three years under Phillips, who had also come under fire for his handling of the quarterback situation, opting for Rob Johnson over Doug Flutie.

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