Sat Jan 03, 2009 7:17 pm EST

Quick: Over the last seven years, what human being on the planet was in the least danger of ever having to work during an NFL Playoff Saturday?
Answer: Matt Millen.
But 2009 is a new year, and Millen has already landed a new job. He's with NBC's Football Night in America, a show that's doing its best to help with America's unemployment problem.
Of the seven-member studio team, Cris Collinsworth is in the booth in Arizona, and Tiki Barber's out there doing sideline work. I guess Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann don't work Saturdays, and Peter King is busy petitioning the league to allow Brett Favre to play all-time quarterback in every 2009 playoff game.
That left Bob Costas and Jerome Bettis to handle studio duty, and since those five minutes or so couldn't have possibly been filled by two guys, we've got Matt Millen today. Maybe Jerome Bettis ought to take that as a hint.
Oddly enough, outside of Collinsworth, Millen is probably the best analyst of the bunch. Before he was hired to run the Detroit Lions franchise, Millen actually called a pretty good game. He worked with CBS, Westwood One radio, and was the number two guy at FOX behind John Madden. He was good enough, in fact, that he was able to convince someone to give him complete control over a franchise, and at the time, no one really thought it was a bad idea.
And then he went 31-97 as a head coach, and no one was quite sure how he ever won 31.
You've gotta remember, though, Millen was a pretty great football player, and he does know what's happening on a football field. The best thing he's got going for him is that the job of professional football commentator doesn't come with a comments section. If it did, I doubt he could do the job.
He is qualified to do this. Now, I honestly believe that you could take any random homeless guy, and they'd manage a better record than 31-97 as an NFL GM, however .. that doesn't mean that guy knows more about football than Millen.
I absolutely wouldn't mind seeing him get back in the booth sooner than later. Matt Millen can break down for me what's going on between the trenches. As long as he doesn't talk about personnel decisions a team should make, he'd be golden.
Shutdown Corner is an NFL blog edited by Matthew J. Darnell. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

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73 Comments
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GO LIONS!!!
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Unfortunately, his record as a GM will always overshadow what can once again be a good addition to the booth.
Of course, he is also in a kitchen with way too many cooks, which can't help matters.
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Bob I wish I was as big as my ego Costas
Matt I have proved how little I know about running a football team Millen
Tiki I'll be the first to throw my team mates under the bus Barber
Dan I wish I was half as funning as I think I am Patrick
Keith I secretly want to date Sarah Palin Olbermann
Cris the Dan Dierdorf Broadcaster of the Year Award winner Collinsworth
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teams! one of them the Redskins beat coach Wayne Fontes & our Lions n the NFC championship
game! the mistake was thinkin that it could equal success running a football team!! he never even
coached! it was mostly William Clay Fords fault! he hired & stuck w/Millen!!
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To: Matt Millen: By saying that the owner firing you early in the season created instability in the coaches and players, you are implying that the Lions would have won a game if you hadn't been fired! If you had some influence or ability to contribute to the process you should have used that influence or ability at some point in your tenure in Detroit. Your first two years were the worst 'back-to-back' years IN THE HISTORY OF THE LIONS and your last year (partial on the payroll, but fully responsible for the players on the roster) was the worst IN THE HISTORY OF THE NFL. You don't have the credentials to add commentary to any NFL game.
To Detroit Lions fans: It was good seeing you (all 5 of you) have something to rally around all last season and all of September ("Fire Millen"), but now what?
To the Oakland Rader fans: No, your franchise is still the worst ever, regardless of the 0-16 Lions. At least the Lions could fire Millen and therefore have hope for the future, you have Al Davis to guarantee your fate, and you can't fire the owner.
To NBC: Costas, Patrick, and a couple of former high profile players/coaches should be able to get the job done in studio. Collinsworh and Bettis are enough. Your show is better without Millen AND Olbermann.
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someone getting paid for this report that does not know he was not a frigging
coach my god let me know yahoo next nime you are hiring
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Just because he was a decent player and played on championship teams, doesn't make him football smart.
There are tons of other analysts out there. why pick someone who exudes being a loser.
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MJD, great article.
Millen, please go hide somewhere and leave us all alone.
Signed,
One of the few remaining Lions fans
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