The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have fired Lovie Smith in a surprising move.
Smith went 6-10 this season after the Buccaneers drafted Jameis Winston first overall.
"After careful consideration, we informed Lovie that we have decided to make a change," Buccaneers co-chairman Joel Glazer said in a statement Wednesday night. "I want to thank Lovie for his hard work and dedication to the Buccaneers during his time here."
A Bucs coach, when contacted by ESPN's Josina Anderson, said he was surprised by the news.
"Is this true?" said the coach, who wished to remain anonymous. "We all just met with Lovie individually today. This is strange. I wonder what happened."
Smith had replaced Greg Schiano in January 2014, agreeing to a four-year contract.
"This decision was difficult on a variety of levels," Glazer said in the statement. "I am disappointed that we were not more successful these past few seasons, but we are committed to doing what is necessary to give our fans the winning team they deserve. As we move forward, General Manager Jason Licht will oversee the process for finding our next head coach."
Via ESPN