News

Bills' Mularkey Resigns As Head Coach
Jan. 13, 2006

Nearly every NFL offseason includes at least one unexpected head coach departure, and on Thursday afternoon, the Buffalo Bills' Mike Mularkey provided the surprise factor for this year's cycle of firings and hirings.

In a lengthy meeting with Bills management, Mularkey stunned owner Ralph Wilson and newly appointed general manager Marv Levy by tendering his resignation after only two seasons on the job, ESPN.com confirmed. His departure will be confirmed by the Bills at a Friday news conference scheduled for 11 a.m. ET.


Team officials declined comment on Thursday evening.


Sources close to Mularkey said Thursday night that he has already left Buffalo. Wilson and Levy were said to have been taken aback when Mularkey contacted them Wednesday and acknowledged he was mulling his resignation.


News that Mularkey had entered the meeting with Wilson and Levy intent on resigning was first reported by ESPN's Chris Mortensen and by ESPN.com. It was believed there was some chance the that Buffalo brass might be able to persuade Mularkey to stay on, especially when the parties briefly adjourned without the coaching having officially quit, but that was not the case.