ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Steve Mariucci's charm and easygoing ways made him popular in his home state. They also may have led to his demise as coach of the Detroit Lions.

"I think that's fair to say," offensive tackle Jeff Backus said in an interview with The Associated Press. "My two NFL coaches have been Steve Mariucci and Marty Mornhinweg, and both are players' coaches that treated us like men and let some things slide.

"Maybe that's why the team felt we needed a different way of doing things."

Mariucci was fired Monday and replaced by defensive coordinator Dick Jauron on an interim basis.

"I don't think anyone in our business wants to be standing here in this situation," said Jauron, who had a 35-46 record as Chicago's head coach from 1999-2003.

Team president Matt Millen made the decision after consulting with the owners. When Mariucci's soft-handed approach was questioned, Millen said he made the move for a variety of reasons he didn't want to detail.

"Everyone has their own way of doing things and it didn't work," Millen said.

Mariucci has more than two years remaining on the $25 million contract he signed in 2003.

The Michigan native came to the Lions from San Francisco, where he was fired after going 60-43 in six seasons.

He leaves with a 15-28 record over two-plus seasons in Detroit, just another in a long list of coaching failures for a franchise with one playoff victory since 1957.

Mariucci was cut some slack in the past because the team he inherited was crafted by Millen, but he embraced high expectations heading into his third season.

"If we win 10 or 11 ballgames and make the playoffs, it would make us happy and make the fans happy," Mariucci said before the season.

Mariucci's agent, Gary O'Hagan, declined comment when reached Monday night.

Millen hired both Mariucci and his predecessor, Mornhinweg, and drafted or signed most of the current players. Since Millen took over in 2001, Detroit is an NFL-worst 20-55.

Despite the results, the former NFL linebacker and TV analyst was given a five-year extension before this season.

Millen said he accepted accountability for Detroit's record during his four-plus seasons, but said a coaching change was necessary.

"This is a brutal business and, at times, good people suffer a cruel fate," he said.

Millen also fired offensive line coach Pat Morris and tight ends coach Andy Sugarman, and demoted Ted Tollner from offensive coordinator to tight ends coach. Greg Olson will call plays as the team's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, starting Sunday at home against Minnesota.

The newly configured coaching staff was to meet Tuesday while the players had their regularly scheduled day off.

"In a five-week season, you're not going to significantly change anything," Jauron said.

After Detroit lost 27-7 to Atlanta on Thanksgiving to fall to 4-7, reports swirled that the team was considering firing Mariucci. When Mariucci wasn't dismissed during the weekend, some thought his job was safe for the final five games of the regular season.

"I was angry after that game," Millen said. "It was disturbing to watch and I didn't want to make a decision based on anger. We wanted to take our time, go through it logically, and think everything through."

The Lions have lost four of five games since a solid start put them atop the NFC North with the Bears. The team has collapsed on and off the field, with players failing to produce and some bickering with one another and doubting the coaches' game plans.

"The talent is there," Millen said. "We have not played up to that talent. Each player and each coach and each person in the front office has to do a better job."

Millen, who was fined $200,000 by the NFL because he didn't follow the league's minority hiring policy when he hired Mariucci, said he would follow league guidelines when he searches for a permanent coach.

"There have been no promises, no deals, nothing like that made beyond this season with Coach Jauron," Millen said.