Prior to Detroit's debacle against New England, the Boston Globe published an article that was filled with all of the facts needed to provide a reason to fire Matt Millen (like you need one) and also a rather large amount of quotes from a couple of executives from other NFL teams criticizing Millen. Never before have I heard so much disgust you could almost say from people within the league. When other NFL executives are hating on you then something definitely is wrong.
The article itself does a great job of painting the picture that is a dismal span of seasons under Millen, and further backs that up with all of the negativity focused on one of the most hated men in Detroit.
First, here's what former NFL executive Ron Wolf had to say about Matt Millen:
Next, an anonymous AFC general manager weighed in, and my speculation leads me to believe it may be someone within the Patriots organization since that is the team the Lions played right after this article came out. His comments:
I like Matt personally and he was a good player in this league for a long time, but he was thrust into a position he thought he knew everything about that he knew nothing about. When that happens, it's not healthy for you or for the organization. What he needed was to bring in a solid personnel guy to assist him, a grass-roots guy who knew how to put a team together who could filter the information coming in from the scouts and make recommendations to him. He didn't do it. Whether that was arrogance or a sign of insecurity I don't know, but he's made the final decisions on the head coaches and on the players, and they were poor decisions time and again. The Lions' problems can only be traced to one guy. Unfortunately, that's Matt Millen."
That's pretty bold of whoever to say that and point out Millen's weaknesses. Finally, an anonymous NFC manager that says one of the best lines I've ever heard quoted before. His thoughts:
From what I see, they've made very poor decisions in the draft and free agency most of the time, and they didn't have patience. Matt was a great player, but that has nothing to do with building a team. Mickey Mouse was a great comedian but you don't make him the head of the Disney Company."
I don't know why, but I just love that last (bolded) line. Getting back to the other parts of that quote, it's just more bad things to say about Matt Millen.
I think it's safe to say that when former NFL executives and current ones are coming out and delivering some hate that the time to go is now. I've said it over and over again now, but I'll say it one more time. Matt Millen has to go. Not only would it mean the end of an era of losing, but the overall mindset of this team would shift from an indifferent one to wanting to get things going in the right direction.