The Houston Texans have confirmed that they have fired head coach Gary Kubiak.
The Texans dropped to 2-11 in their season with their 11th straight defeat as they lost 27-20 to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday Night Football.
That loss proved to be the final straw for chairman Bob McNair, who revealed on Friday the decision to part company with Kubiak, who had been coach at the Texans since the 2006 season.
McNair told reporters: "We felt that a change was needed at the head coach position and Gary Kubiak is no longer the head coach.
"Taking action now instead of waiting allows us the process of finding a new coach.
"It's been horrible, a nightmare. It's not what I'm accustomed to or the organisation's accustomed to."
Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips has been handed interim head coaching duties until the end of the season, while the Texans also announced that Bob Ligashesky has been promoted to special teams coordinator after Joe Marciano was also fired.