Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 5, 1994 TAG: 9401050276
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ASHBURN LENGTH: Medium
Owner Jack Kent Cooke fired Petitbon on Tuesday, four days after the NFL team finished with a 4-12 record - its worst in three decades.
The Redskins were granted permission later Tuesday by Dallas owner Jerry Jones to interview Cowboys offensive coordinator Norv Turner.
"The interview will not take away from the Cowboys' preparation for the playoffs," Jones said.
Charley Casserly, the Redskins' general manager, and Turner chatted Dec. 26 on the field at Texas Stadium just before the kickoff of a Redskins-Cowboys game that Dallas won 38-3. That was Washington's worst defeat in eight years.
"I'd be awfully interested, and again you still want to sit down and talk about specifics and details and all of those things, but it sure seems like a great opportunity," Turner said of the Washington job. "If I am contacted, I certainly am interested."
Turner said earlier in the day it would be difficult to leave the Cowboys, but he would consider any offer to become a head coach in the NFL.
"It would be hard to leave the group of guys we have on this team because they are only going to get better," said Turner, whose credentials were being reviewed by the Redskins.
Turner's offense turned the Cowboys into Super Bowl champions. Dallas just completed a 12-4 season that was good enough to win the NFC East Division and secure the home-field advantage in the conference playoffs.
The Cowboys practice the next three days, and Turner would be available to be interviewed during the weekend.
"That appears to be the time the interview will take place," said Rich Dalrymple, a Cowboys spokesman.
Cooke, who met with Petitbon for more than an hour Tuesday, said the decision to fire him was made with "regret and after much thought."
Petitbon said the decision had been made when he arrived for work Tuesday, and Cooke arrived about an hour later.
"It was a done deal," said Petitbon, who has been a player or coach in the NFL for 35 years.
Petitbon, 55, said he did not think he could have changed Cooke's mind.
"Personally, I would have liked more time, but that's not my call," Petitbon said. "When you get into this business as a player, you have to you have to be prepared to be cut. As a coach, you have to be prepared to be fired. It's not an easy business."
Petitbon had been the Redskins' defensive coordinator since 1978 when he was chosen in March to succeed Joe Gibbs. Petitbon had been passed over for head coach's jobs in Chicago and his native New Orleans before Cooke made him the Redskins' coach.
Gibbs guided the Redskins to their third Super Bowl championship and a 14-2 regular-season record in 1991, but they slipped to a 9-7 record in 1992 before he announced his retirement.
Petitbon kept Gibbs' staff intact. But the Redskins lost several key players - receiver Gary Clark, defensive tackle Jumpy Geathers and defensive end Fred Stokes - to free agency and traded their only Pro Bowl defender from 1992, linebacker Wilber Marshall.
\ RICHIE PETITBON\ ONE AND GONE\ \ Redskins' defensive coordinator since 1978.\ \ Played or coached in all five Redskins Super Bowls.\ \ Has been part of four NFL championship teams.\ \ NFL player with the Chicago Bears (1959-68), Los Angeles Rams (1969-70) and Redskins (1971-72).\ \ Played in four Pro Bowls as a safety.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB