Published: Jan. 2, 2012 at 1:00 PM

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 2 (UPI) — Steve Spagnuolo was fired Monday as coach of the St. Louis Rams, who finished the 2011 season tied with Indianapolis for the worst record in the NFL.

St. Louis fell 34-27 Sunday to the San Francisco 49ers, a loss that left the Rams 2-14.

Although they had the same league-worst record as the Colts, the Rams will have the second overall selection in the 2012 NFL draft.

The Rams also fired General Manager Billy Devaney.

“I would like to personally thank Steve and Billy for their dedication to the St. Louis Rams organization over the past several seasons,” Rams owner Stan Kroenke said in a statement. “This was a difficult decision for many reasons. We have tremendous respect for Steve and Billy as people and football professionals.”

St. Louis was 10-38 in three seasons with Spagnuolo as coach. The Rams went 1-15 his first year and were 7-9 in 2010 before slipping back this season, which started with six consecutive losses.

Article updated: 1/2/2012 10:42 AM

After finishing 2-14 this season, St. Louis Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo, left, and general manager Billy Devaney are now looking for work. Both men were fired with one year left on their contracts.   Associated Press/2010 file

ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Rams have fired coach Steve Spagnuolo and general manager Billy Devaney.

The team made the announcement Monday, a day after the team wrapped up a 2-14 season that tied for the NFL’s worst.

The Rams made a six-win improvement last season and played for the NFC West title in the finale, but were just 10-38 overall in three seasons with Spagnuolo and Devaney calling the shots. Devaney joined the front office in 2008. In his four years as GM, the Rams were 12-52.

Owner Stan Kroenke fired both men with one year remaining on their contracts, and with fan interest dwindling. The Edward Jones Dome was been about half-filled much of the year.

ST. LOUIS The St. Louis Rams have fired coach Steve Spagnuolo and general manager Billy Devaney.

The team made the announcement Monday, a day after the team wrapped up a 2-14 season that tied for the NFL’s worst record.

The Rams made a six-win improvement last season and played for the NFC West title in the finale. But they were just 10-38 overall in three seasons with Spagnuolo and Devaney calling the shots.

Devaney joined the front office in 2008. In his four years as GM, the Rams were 12-52.

Owner Stan Kroenke fired both men with one year remaining on their contracts, and with fan interest dwindling. The Edward Jones Dome was been about half-filled much of the year.

The Associated Press

According to a post-game report today by cbssports.com, St. Louis Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo says the Rams have:

“character and fight…to build anything, the base has to have a rock-solid foundation and that’s there,” he said.  “We’ve got to wait eight months to play a game, but I’m glad that’s there.”

The question in St. Louis right now is who will be the head coach for that game in eight months?  

That decision is expected to be announced on Monday, according to a report by Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, who cites league sources.  

In three seasons under Steve Spagnuolo, the Rams went 10-38.  

Hopes were high in St. Louis entering 2011.  

Many picked the Rams to win the NFC West.  Michael Lombardi of the NFL Network asserted that St. Louis would be the league’s breakout team.  

However, the Rams faltered during an 0-6 start before winning two of three, including the season’s biggest win, an upset victory at the Edward Jones Dome over record-setting Drew Brees and the playoff-bound New Orleans Saints. 

But then they lost their final seven contests, including the finale today at home versus NFC West champion San Francisco.  

In Spagnuolo’s defense, however, the Rams players never seemed to quit and the roster was ravaged by injuries throughout the year.

Some notable players lost for the season include Sam Bradford’s top receiving target, Danny Amendola (as well as rookie Greg Salas), the teams’ top three cornerbacks (Ron Bartell, Bradley Fletcher and Jerome Murphy) and both starting offensive tackles (Rodger Saffold, Jason Smith)—among others.

The team also lost three-time Pro Bowl running back Steven Jackson for several games before suffering long-term injuries to quarterbacks Sam Bradford and A.J. Feeley.

With that said, 2-14 is still 2-14. And 10-38 is still 10-38.  

In the NFL, it’s the bottom line that counts. And the bottom line doesn’t look good for Spagnuolo’s Rams. Expect him to be relieved of his head coaching duties as early as Monday.

According to a report by Albert Breer of the NFL Network, Jeff Fisher is ready to return to coaching. The St. Louis Rams and San Diego Chargers are listed as possible options for Fisher.  

Shane Gray covers the St. Louis Rams year round. To check out the rest of his work, go here.  You are also encouraged to follow him here on Twitter.   

AP

Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo could soon be fired.  But while they may be able to take his body out of St. Louis, there’s one fairly important part that will be left behind.

Asked by Anthony Gargano of FOX Sports Radio regarding where Spagnuolo will be in 2012, he said “the St. Louis Rams,” without hesitation.

“That’s where my heart is,” Spagnuolo added.  “That’s where my dedication is, and drive.  You know, when I came here, this was never about me. . . .  I was very blessed to share an experience in New York where we won a Super Bowl and have that ring that everybody’s shooting for.  I came here in hopes that the people here would be able to experience that.  So what drives me is being able to bring that for other people, and we hope to continue to do that.”

Spagnuolo described the 2011 season in St. Louis as a “bump along the road, or a bunch of bumps.”  It remains widely believed that Spagnuolo will bumped off after Sunday, even though John Czarnecki of FOXSports.com has suggested that Spagnuolo could stay and G.M. Billy Devaney could go.  In the end, both could go.

And perhaps Spagnuolo will then have that chance to help people in another city experience a Super Bowl victory.

Maybe, unlike St. Louis, a city that has never experienced that.

Maybe, you know, Philadelphia.