by Jay Glazer

Done in Detroit

Video: Matt Millen has been fired as Lions president and GM after a tumultuous tenure. Jay Glazer gives you the on the big Detroit shake-up. More on Millen Marvez: Millen firing long overdue Worst moves of the Millen era Scout.com: What this means for Lions

"I have relieved Matt Millen of his duties effective immediately," Lions owner William Clay Ford said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.

Messages seeking comment were left on Millen's cell phone by The Associated Press.

Millen was informed of the move Tuesday night during a late-night high-level meeting. Wednesday morning several people within the building confirmed that he had large packing boxes in his office and he made his way around to different employees telling them of the move.

The news comes just one day after team vice chairman Bill Ford — son of owner William Clay Ford — publicly stated he would have fired the GM if it was his decision.

"I think the fans deserve better," Ford told reporters Tuesday."

Detroit was routed in each of its first three games this season, falling behind 21-0 twice and 21-3 once en route to lopsided losses going into its bye week.

The 0-3 start dropped Millen to 31-84 overall, giving the Lions at least 10 more losses than any other NFL team over the past seven-plus seasons during one of the worst stretches in league history.

"I am very disappointed with where we are as a team after our start this season," Ford added in his statement. "Our sole focus now is preparing for our next game against Chicago."

The front office will be led by executive vice president Tom Lewand, who will report to the owner on business issues, and promoted general manager Martin Mayhew, who will report to the owner on football matters.

"These decisions are for the duration of the 2008 season," Ford's statement said. "Once the season is over, we will undergo a thorough and comprehensive evaluation of our entire football operation and put together a plan that we believe will transform this team into a winner."

The groundswell for Millen's demise has once again been strong following the Lions' horrible start. That's nothing new — events like the Millen Man March, an in-game walkout protest, and calls for Millen's firing have been going on for years.

Drivers of vehicles whizzing past the team's Allen Park facility beeped their horns and gleefully yelled out about the apparent end of the Millen era. A gaggle of reporters, videographers and still photographers roamed around the grounds, waiting for official word of Millen's departure.

In rare interviews, the elder Ford has stood by his decision to hire Millen and to stick with him despite "Fire Millen!" chants from fans as he sank the team to one of the poorest eras in NFL history.

William Clay Ford also has been the target of criticism. Since he took over the franchise, starting with the 1964 season, the Lions have won only one playoff game.

The Fords — father and son — were thrilled when they lured Millen out of the broadcast booth to run their hapless franchise.

This sweater was just the beginning of the bad memories of the Matt Millen era in Detroit. (Tom Pidgeon / Getty Images)

"I'm willing to stake my reputation on Matt's success," Bill Ford said after Millen was introduced at a news conference in January 2001.

Millen was the team's first general manager since Thomas left in 1989. The Lions allowed their coaches — Wayne Fontes, Bobby Ross and Gary Moeller — to run the football operation after Thomas resigned.

"We've been pretty much stuck on dead center for quite a few years," William Clay Ford said when Millen was hired. "Matt offers us an opportunity to move ahead."

But Millen failed to bring continuity to a team in dire need of leadership. His draft-day decisions were often the subject of ridicule as he spent four top 10 picks on wide receivers in a span of five years, two of which are no longer on the roster. He also went through three head coaches (plus an interim coach) and six starting quarterbacks.

Rod Marinelli will be left with the task of salvaging something from the final 13 games of the season. But he and the players haven't inspired much confidence with an NFC-worst 10-25 record since 2006.

Ultimately, the Lions are left with Millen's mess that led to a pitiful era that compares only to Tampa Bay's 12 straight double-digit loss seasons from 1983-94.

This offseason was productive and the practices were great, Millen and Marinelli insisted, but that didn't make a difference on Sundays this season.

The Lions are winless, and 1-10 dating to last season. The latest loss at San Francisco dropped Marinelli to 3-15 on the road and dropped the Lions to 8-60 as visitors with Millen in charge.

The former Penn State standout was an NFL linebacker from 1980-91 with the Raiders, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins. He went to the Super Bowl four times.

ARCHITECTURAL FLAW

Matt Millen's tenure with the Lions included some highly criticized draft selections. Four of the nine players he picked in the first round are no longer with the team and only one has made a Pro Bowl — Roy Williams in 2006 — as Detroit tallied a 31-84 record under his guidance.
Year	Pick	Player	Position	Current team
2001	18th	Jeff Backus	Offensive tackle	Lions
2002	3rd	Joey Harrington	Quarterback	Saints
2003	2nd	Charles Rogers	Wide receiver	Free agent
2004	7th	Roy Williams	Wide receiver	Lions
2004	30th	Kevin Jones	Running back	Bears
2005	10th	Mike Williams	Wide receiver	Free agent
2006	9th	Ernie Sims	Linebacker	Lions
2007	2nd	Calvin Johnson	Wide receiver	Lions
2008	17th	Gosder Cherilus	Offensive tackle	Lions
Future Pro Bowlers selected in the first round after these picks between 2001 and 2007: 40 Total Pro Bowl appearances by those 40 players: 75

The Associated Press contributed to this report.