Tired of dealing with rumors, Eagles dismiss Tom Modrak

Originally published May 8, 2001. Tom Modrak died on April 11, 2017.

In the end, the Eagles' decision to sever ties with director of football operations Tom Modrak was based on loyalty and perception, as well as the need to establish stability for the next few crucial years in the franchise's development.

Owner Jeffrey Lurie announced the termination of Modrak's contract yesterday, hours after a meeting with Modrak failed to patch up the rift between the two sides. Lurie and chief operating officer Joe Banner made the final decision. It was based, they said, on doubts raised by Modrak's insistence on having an escape clause in his contract and on public comments that drew attention to that clause.

"There was constant uncertainty about the future of that position," Lurie said. "There wasn't the commitment there that we needed. Someone wrote a column last week saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it. ' My answer is that if it's not broke, but it is filled with problems, you'd better fix it. This may not be the popular decision or the easy decision, but it's the right decision. "

"I thought it was [repairable]," Modrak said yesterday. "I explained everything that I did. I thought I represented the organization well. I was proud to be with the Eagles. This was going to be our home. Nothing was said in the first meeting. After we took a break, they came back and said that it still didn't feel right. "

The Eagles are expected to give head coach Andy Reid the additional title of vice president of football operations. That announcement, which could come today or tomorrow, will coincide with Reid signing a new six-year contract.

Lurie, who did not address Reid's promotion, was reminded that he said it was a mistake to give former head coach Ray Rhodes too much control over personnel.

"I did say it was a mistake to give Ray Rhodes that responsibility," Lurie said. "It does finally become about who the individuals are. "

Reid will then add new personnel evaluators to his staff, presumably before the June 1 wave of salary-cap casualties hits the waiver wire. Pro personnel director Mike McCartney, whose contract expires next week, was released along with Modrak.

Green Bay's John Dorsey and Oakland's Michael Lombardi appear to be the leading candidates for the top personnel position.

Hired in May 1998, Modrak came aboard in time to endure Ray Rhodes' final 3-13 season. He rebuilt the Eagles' personnel department, bringing in people he knew and respected from his 20 years in scouting with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Two years later, the Eagles went 11-5 in the regular season and won a wild-card playoff game.

By all accounts, Modrak and Reid worked well together. There was little sign of discord, and the two joked easily with each other during news conferences and other public appearances.

There were problems brewing, however. Almost immediately after signing on with the Eagles in '98, Modrak was said to regret the decision. There were rumblings that he attempted to return to the Steelers. Because the prospects of a new practice facility and stadium were part of the appeal of coming to Philadelphia, Modrak's original contract contained an escape clause. If those things weren't on track by May 2000, Modrak could get out of his contract.

Last year during Modrak's window of opportunity, the job of director of football operations was open in Pittsburgh. (Modrak's longtime colleague, Tom Donahoe, was ousted in a power struggle with head coach Bill Cowher. ) There were also widespread reports that Modrak would be a candidate for that job. He also became a candidate for a personnel job with the Miami Dolphins.

Modrak approached the Eagles last May and "demanded," in Lurie's words, a new clause. He wanted to add windows of opportunity to leave the team this year and next year. The Eagles agreed on condition that they have the same right to terminate the deal without obligation to Modrak.

"We were not happy with that," Lurie said. "When you build an organization, you want people who are energized and want to be here. You don't want somebody who isn't pleased to be here. "

In a sense, the Eagles viewed this off-season as a kind of acid test of Modrak's intentions. After the team's successful season, everyone's stock figured to be high. In January, Modrak's name was linked to an opening with the New York Jets. Media reports included information about the out in his contract, which disturbed Lurie and Banner. That passed, though, and things seemed to quiet down as the team worked through the free agency period and prepared for April's draft.

Then, a week before the draft, Modrak did an interview in which he talked about the out clause but said he wanted to remain with the Eagles. That's when the real cracks appeared.

"It was one thing when we had questions because we knew about the out [clause]," Banner said. "It went from a small-Q question to a capital-Q Question when it was out there in public. That's when everyone in the organization had those questions, whether it's fair or not fair. "

"People need to know whether decisions are being made for the long term or the short term, whether there will be stability or not," Lurie said.

Within a week after the draft, Modrak's name turned up in several different media reports. He would be a candidate for the Chicago Bears job. He could be a candidate for the Washington Redskins job. The Eagles heard that Modrak's attorney talked to new Redskins coach Marty Schottenheimer. All of the media reports, including one that had him possibly rejoining Cowher in Pittsburgh, mentioned that Modrak could get out of his contract.

That was the end. The Eagles concluded that Modrak, or perhaps others acting on his behalf, were planting the information around the league.

They decided to make a change – for the sake of stability.

It will take a couple years for the impact of the decision to show out on the field. This year's roster is almost set. But it's a decision that will eventually be seen as a make-or-break for this franchise.

"Tom has done a very good job here," Lurie said. "He's part of a group that's done a good job and he deserves some of the credit. We hoped over time that this issue would resolve itself. We've enjoyed the success so far, but we want to take this organization to the next level, and the bottom line is that we didn't feel comfortable with all the questioning. "