ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) - It was not the 100th season that Packer President and CEO Mark Murphy dreamed of, saying it was time to move on from Mike McCarthy.
At Lambeau Field, Monday, Murphy and Packer General Manager Brian Gutekunst explained what led to the decision.
"I really felt that change was needed and we needed a new voice."
Saying McCarthy in Green Bay has run its course, Murphy says Sunday's loss to the lowly Arizona Cardinals was the straw that broke the camels back.
"The performance on Sunday made it very clear that a coaching change was needed."
Packer General Manager Brian Gutekunst says that game did not live up to the team's expectations.
"That loss was unacceptable."
Murphy says with all the victories and playoff runs in the past, it was a hard choice to make and explained two reasons why the change was made before the end of the season.
"It gets us into the market earlier and I think a side benefit is for Mike."
That decision has come under some criticism due to the fact that McCarthy has been very successful since coming to Green Bay, and this move makes him the only Packer Coach in history to be fired before the end of the season.
"We all would have preferred to make the change following the season, and I really think if we would have gotten a key win here or there, things would have been different, but we just couldn't seem to get that win," Murphy said. "It's best for the organization to make the change now rather than waiting for the off-season."
While a decision will not be made until after the end of the season, names are starting to pop up in the discussion, and that is not surprising.
Gutekunst says the search for a new head coach should be competitive and will bring forth plenty of candidates.
"This is going to be an attractive job," Gutekunst said. "This is the Green Bay Packers and one of the cornerstones in the National Football League with a Hall of Fame Quarterback. I think going forward, I don't think there is anything here that should hesitate any coach from wanting this job."
The hiring will be done by Murphy, but he explained that Gutekunst will be actively involved in the process and decision.
"He is going to be involved in the search and he and I will both agree on it."
Murphy explained that quarterback Aaron Rodgers can always offer input but he will not be part of the hiring process.
At the end of last season, Murphy changed the structure of the front office, leaving him in charge of the GM and Head Coach decisions.
"The decision will be mine, but we will not hire a guy that Brian does not agree with. "
Despite being the CEO and President, Murphy says he does have quite a bit of experience with football, making him qualified to choose the next coach.
"I have seen it from the perspective of a player, I have been an athletic director for many years and I have hired many coaches. I think this gives us the best chance moving forward."
Under McCarthy's coaching, the Packers went to the postseason 9 times and won a Super Bowl. The team is currently 4 - 7 - 1 on the season.
"Obviously he was a tremendous coach for us and had a great run here," Murphy said.
Offensive coordinator Joe Philbin will fill in as head coach until the Packers find a replacement.
Murphy said that Philbin has not been ruled out as a candidate to be the next coach, but Philbin said Monday that he does not consider the next four games as an audition.
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