Thats a good question, I have never really seen a situation like this in the NFL. If Ross makes the decision that Ireland and Philbin are gone because of this, when is the appropriate time to pull the trigger? Once the "investigation" ends there probably will be 4 games to go. Do you let them finish out the season or act immediately? What if this team makes the playoffs?
Not personally directed Nubs, just my opinion:
The answers are simple. In the greatest tragedies, the path to resolution is always clear. The courage to follow it is the only question.
Frankly, I am expecting the axe to come down rather soon. Details may need sorting out, but those 2 men both had enough power in the organization to solve this problem a long time ago. I don't care what they knew or what they didn't. I don't care if they participated, incited or ignored. Leaders are accountable REGARDLESS. If they didn't know, they were given the power to know. If they didn't act, they were given the power to act. If they incited or ignored, epic fail. There is NO reason these 2 men should be allowed to persist.
This team and locker room needs to hear from its owner. They need direction if we are to salvage this season with a playoff birth. Yes people, there are still 53 people in this organization trying to do the job they were hired to do. Ross' obligations lies with them. Empower them to succeed.
Firing Philbin is more about "who" is his immediate replacement and exactly how many people survive the initial carnage. You have to find people on your staff that the players will listen to and follow. You need to find the leaders below Philbin that will galvanize your team and give you a chance to get into the playoffs.
The playoffs are your team's goal. You cannot lose track of the 53 guys in the locker room. This is THEIR football season. Any problems you have in the FO and in the staff are YOUR problem as the owner. Suck it up and do what you've got to do to give those 53 gives the best chance to perform their job. All of them are interviewing for their next job, even it's with your new HC. But regardless, those guys have a job, family and their own lives to maintain. Empower the people in your organization that remain that can give them the best chance to succeed now.
Firing Ireland is IMMEDIATE. All of his work on the field is done for this year. At this point, he is plugging holes. But almost all of his efforts now are planning for the draft, scouting and looking ahead to next year's free agents. You want to give your new GM all the time in the world to do those very same things. The more time you give a new GM, the better.
The real question after firing Philbin and Ireland is this: Are you going to hire a HC/GM or a HC AND a GM?
Regardless the answer, you don't want Philbin and Ireland around complicating the work environment and your distracting the organization.
I understand there are delicate processes that are legal and involve "agent" issues and who did what, when, how and under who's authority. But these knuckle heads have to answer legally regardless. They don't need to remain HC and GM to go through these proceedings.
AT THE VERY LEAST, if they are going to remain with this team during this process, strip both of ALL duties and authorities and put them on administrative leave with a gag order.
They do NOT need to be walking the halls of this organization creating chaos, dissension and making the players pick sides. The only sides here are right and wrong. Period.
