Lions Owner Claims He Fired Matt Millen Three Years Ago

DETROIT—Lions owner William Clay Ford, Sr. expressed consternation and anger Monday upon realizing that Matt Millen had been acting as president and general manager of the team for the past three years. “I could have sworn I’d fired that lunkhead back in ’05 and promoted Mariucci,” Ford said when reporters questioned him about Millen leaving the team. “I guess that’s why I kept seeing him in the halls. My God, how’s the team been doing?” Ford excused himself without further comment on the issue, saying he had to call star running back Barry Sanders and assure him his job with the team was safe regardless of front-office issues.