I can't accept that based on the fact that he had his son as an offensive coordinator here from the start. I highly doubt his intention was simply to cash out knowing it would negatively affect his son's career.
As for a HOF worthy coach coming here after Zorn, Spurrier, Shotty, etc... We already know the story. We already know that Dan was drunk and flipping out about Zorn in 2009 and flew to Denver to basically beg Shanny for help. Shanny didn't want to take over during the season and wanted Dan to hire a GM first. He also wanted all say in personnel so that way Dan was out of it.
We all know this. It didn't work out, and in the end, Shanny tried to help his son save face in regards to Robert and it backfired. But saying his intention here was to just cash out is ridiculous to me.
I can say with little doubt in my mind that the evidence leans much more towards a coach who wanted to prove he was wrongly fired in Denver by building a winning team and turning a losing franchise around but, in the end, made too many of the same mistakes that got him to that point in Denver.
If not, why was he studying the Pats and Bill Billichek during the year he wasn't coaching after he was fired in Denver? Why would he be seeking permission from Bill to attend their offseason functions so he could learn from them if his plan was simply to cash out?
Makes zero sense to me. But, oh well. I get the hate and why it's there. Last season was absolutely miserable, and it wasn't that way just because of the losing. All the dysfunction was outrageous. I just have trouble letting that be the only paintbrush available for painting the picture of Shanahan's tenure here.
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