Denver Broncos head coach John Fox
August 17, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Denver Broncos head coach John Fox instructs against the San Francisco 49ers during the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reuters

The Denver Broncos lost to the Indianapolis Colts, 24-13 on Sunday in the AFC Divisional Round Playoffs and a day after, the franchise and its head coach, John Fox has agreed to part ways after four seasons together.

"I had a productive visit with John Elway this afternoon in which we were both very honest about our time together and how to best move forward," Fox said in an official statement. "After this discussion, John and I mutually agreed that the timing was right for this decision.”

Fox and the Broncos had successful campaigns since 2011. Denver made the playoffs four times in four seasons and had also won the AFC West for four straight years. However, they also went 0-for-4 for Super Bowl titles during this stretch, they lost three times in the divisional round and then once in the championship game. Overall, Fox was 46-18 with the Broncos in the regular season but just 3-4 in the post-season. Fox, who was also the head coach for the Carolina Panthers from 2002 to 2010, has led two franchises, the Broncos and Panthers to Super Bowl appearances but never won an NFL title. The 59-year-old mentor has a career record of 118-89 in the regular season and 8-7 in the post-season.

The news also comes a day after veteran quarterback Peyton Manning said in an interview that he’s still processing his decision to return to the National Football League (NFL) next season. Manning played one of his worst games as a pro in the loss to the Colts on Sunday and was reportedly struggling with injuries for the second half of the regular season and the playoffs.

Fox leaving the franchise and the uncertain status of Manning’s NFL stint have the fuelled speculations that the Broncos might be finally go into rebuilding mode. The team also has potentially 17 free agents that will hit the market either as a restricted or unrestricted.

While Fox is done in Denver, he also mentioned in the statement that he’s not done with the NFL, saying that he’s “eager to continue m coaching career and look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.”

To contact author of this article email j.gloria@IBTimes.com.au

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