Washington — A power struggle between owner and coach left Marty Schottenheimer without a job and put the Washington Redskins in position to win the Steve Spurrier sweepstakes.
Schottenheimer was fired Sunday night after he refused to renegotiate a clause in his contract that gave him ultimate authority on player moves.
Spurrier has said he doesn't want to be anything more than a coach.
After spurning Snyder's overtures a year ago, the former Florida boss reached an "agreement in principle" on a five-year contract worth about $25 million, a source with knowledge of the Redskins' negotiations said.
The Redskins also will hire a general manager or someone with a similar title.
Schottenheimer will receive the $7.5 million remaining on the four-year, $10 million contract he signed a year ago. The Redskins went 8-8 in his only season, becoming the first NFL team to go from 0-5 to 5-5.
Spurrier suddenly quit Florida on Jan. 4, and declared himself ready to take on the NFL. A colorful sideline presence and a mastermind at offensive game-planning, Spurrier won six Southeastern Conference titles and the 1996 national championship, going 122-27-1 in 12 seasons with the Gators.
On Saturday, Spurrier denied he met with Snyder, but the source said the contact was primarily with Spurrier's representatives. Attempts by the Associated Press to reach Spurrier on Sunday night were not successful.
His hiring would represent the type of high-profile signing preferred by Snyder, whose players have included Deion Sanders, Bruce Smith and Jeff George.
Spurrier's offense would offer a stark contrast from the conservative approach used by Schottenheimer.
Snyder and Schottenheimer met several times over the past week, including twice on Sunday, as Snyder tried to convince Schottenheimer of the need to hire a general manager and change the wording of the contract. Schottenheimer refused.
Possible GM candidates include former Redskins general manager Bobby Beathard, ex-Packers GM Ron Wolf, and Bruce Allen, son of former coach George Allen and now a special assistant with the Raiders.
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