updated 7:43 p.m. ET Nov. 28, 2005

ALLEN PARK, Mich. - Steve Mariucci came to the Detroit Lions with a winning NFL record, a penchant for offense and raised expectations.

He leaves as just another in a long list of coaching failures.

After two-plus seasons and a 15-28 record, Mariucci was fired Monday after he was unable to turn around a franchise with one playoff victory since 1957.

The Lions promoted defensive coordinator Dick Jauron to succeed him on an interim basis.

“We started off this season with high expectations,” team president Matt Millen said. “We have underachieved as a football team.”

Millen hired both Mariucci and his predecessor, Marty Mornhinweg, and drafted or signed most of the current players. Since Millen took over in 2001, Detroit is an NFL-worst 20-55.

Despite the results, the former NFL linebacker and TV analyst was given a five-year extension before this season.

Millen said he accepts accountability for Detroit’s record during his four-plus seasons, but said a coaching change was necessary.

“This is a brutal business and at times, good people suffer a cruel fate,” he said.

Millen also fired offensive line coach Pat Morris and tight ends coach Andy Sugarman, and demoted Ted Tollner from offensive coordinator to tight ends coach. Greg Olson will call plays as the team’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, starting Sunday at home against Minnesota.

Jauron said his first inclination was to not accept the job.

“It’s hard for me to stand up here in this position because Steve is a friend,” said Jauron, who had a 35-46 record as Chicago’s head coach from 1999-2003.

After Detroit lost 27-7 to Atlanta on Thanksgiving to fall to 4-7, reports swirled that the team was considering firing Mariucci. When Mariucci was not dismissed during the weekend, some thought his job was safe for the final five games of the regular season.

“I was angry after that game,” Millen said. “It was disturbing to watch and I didn’t want to make a decision based on anger. We wanted to take our time, go through it logically, and think everything through.”

The Lions have lost four of five games since a solid start put them atop the NFC North with the Chicago Bears. The team has collapsed on and off the field with players failing to produce and some bickering with one another and questioning the coaches’ game plans.

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