FanHouse Mike Shanahan

I guess it was only a matter of time. You can now place wagers on who the next Redskins' head coach will be. Though there is nothing official from the Redskins that they'll definitely terminate Jim Zorn at or before the conclusion of the season, online betting place Play Blackjack Online has compiled a list with odds of possible coaching candidates.

Sources have confirmed that the Washington Redskins recently tried to hire Mike Shanahan to replace Jim Zorn and Shanahan declined. The sources would not rule out the possibility that Shanahan would reconsider in the offseason.

"Shanahan told the franchise there was little he could do in the middle of the season for them and that changing coaches during the season in the NFL rarely works,'' a Redskins management source told FanHouse. "Several people that Dan Snyder trusts have suggested, if he makes a move, he should turn it over to secondary coach Jerry Gray. That could still happen.

"We are trying to give Jim every chance to turn it around. The move to [bring in offensive consultant Sherm] Lewis is to take more off Jim's plate, especially the play-calling, because it is not working, and that is where Jim is spending much of his time. Now he can coach the entire team. Let's see where that gets us.''

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Beleaguered Washington Redskins coach Jim Zorn has reason to look over his shoulder: Owner Daniel Snyder has reportedly contacted Mike Shanahan, both before the season and during the season, about coaching the team.

In sports, one team's celebration is another's despair. This happens every single game, but sometimes the feelings are more drastic, depending upon circumstances.

The big news from Detroit Sunday afternoon was that the Lions won their first game since December of 2007. The ecstasy felt from those in the Lions organization was likely equal to the rage being felt by Washington Redskins' owner Dan Snyder right now. His Redskins were the first team to lose to the Lions in the last 20 games. This was coming off as bad a win as you could imagine -- a 9-7 triumph over the hapless Rams, where the Redskins appeared allergic to the end zone.

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It wasn't very long ago that the position of "head coach" in the National Football League came with more than just coaching.

Successful, veteran head coaches in the league were able to wrestle away total control of their organizations. Other coaches, like former Green Bay head man Mike Sherman, were able to get that control without experiencing a lot of success as head coaches. They did so with varying degrees of success in the "coach/GM" role. After years of this trend building in the NFL, it appears franchises are moving in the other direction.

Former Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan is likely set for life. He made a good chunk of change in his 14 years as head coach in the Mile High City, especially since many of those years were spent in the dual role of head coach and general manager.

When Shanahan was fired after the 2008 season, he was still due $7 million for 2009. Had he stuck around, he would have been the NFL's highest-paid coach. It turns out that there has been no buyout of that money. Instead, Shanahan simply has to adhere to one clause in order to collect from the Broncos.

It's been 10 days since the last update on Brandon Marshall, the latest disgruntled Denver Broncos star looking to get dealt. Earlier this month, the organization was allegedly for a trade before they were against.

And now, according to ESPN.com's Bill Williamson, the Broncos plan on keeping Marshall, and they'll be expecting him when training camp starts.

There's a feeling of déjà vu in the mile-high air around Denver on Monday, as Brandon Marshall's displeasure with the Denver Broncos has moved into the trade-demand stage.

A source close to the situation told FanHouse's Calvin Watkins that Marshall is questioning the team's direction after the Cutler trade, and that concern led Marshall to meet with owner Pat Bowlen.

During a radio interview with 850 KOA in Denver, Adam Schefter of the NFL Network (soon of ESPN) said that Marshall's trade request came after the wide receiver decided not to report to the opening of the Broncos' mandatory minicamp. Marshall told Bowlen, "I think I'd like to be traded," and Schefter said Marshall was unlikely to change his mind, despite Bowlen's request that he take some time to consider options.

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Josh McDaniels replaced Mike Shanahan six months ago. He's yet to coach a real live game but he's somehow managed to lose his Pro Bowl quarterback, and depending on how the next few weeks unfold, he could have his hands full with one of the league's best young wide receivers, too.

Not exactly how McDaniels envisioned things back in January but it is, as they say, what it is. So after trading Jay Cutler to the Bears for a couple first-rounders and Kyle Orton, and then signing free agent Chris Simms to compete for the job, McDaniels used organized team activities to settle on a starter.

It's been more than four months since Pat Bowlen fired close friend Mike Shanahan. The subsequent search to replace the man who gave Denver 14 years and two Super Bowls was, at times, bumpy. It got bumpier after Bowlen settled on 32-year-old Josh McDaniels.

A fresh-faced Bill Belichick protégé, McDaniels had coordinated up the most explosive offense in NFL history: the 2007 New England Patriots. As often happens when coaches relocate, McDaniels wanted to bring in his "his" players to run "his" system. Hours into free agency, the Broncos inked former Pats wideout Jabar Gaffney. And then, after Denver tried to acquire Matt Cassel, incumbent Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler demanded a trade, things got messy, and, ultimately, the Broncos ended up with a couple first-round picks, Kyle Orton and a lot of questions.