Cleveland Browns safety Damarious Randall was among many people surprised at Mike McCarthy's firing in Green Bay.
There was wide-spread criticism that the game had passed by the former Packers head coach, whose team went 4-7-1 before the dismissal.
But don't include Randall, who played for McCarthy for three seasons before being traded to Cleveland during the offseason, with the detractors.
"I don't know," Randall said, via Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer. "They traded away all their good players, and they expect Aaron Rodgers to just be magical. The magic hasn't been so magical lately."
The Packers are on track to miss the postseason for a second consecutive season despite having a healthy Rodgers at the helm, but personnel moves throughout the offseason saw the departure of numerous players.
Veteran wide receiver Jordy Nelson, a fan favorite, was released in March, and then the coming months saw the trades of Randall, safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, running back Ty Montgomery, backup quarterback Brett Hundley and cornerback Lenzy Pipkins.
Despite the turmoil of the past two seasons in Green Bay, McCarthy left with a 125-77-2 career record. The Packers also won a Super Bowl and made the postseason nine out of the 13 seasons McCarthy patrolled the sidelines.
"Mike McCarthy is a great, great coach," Randall said. "I've got nothing but the utmost respect for him. I just wish him the best. I don't know why they fired him. He's definitely a good, good guy, and he's a great coach."
In the meantime, where McCarthy goes from here remains to be seen.
ESPN reported McCarthy will either take the year off to spend time with his family in Green Bay or pursue another coaching opportunity during the offseason. Should he choose the latter, McCarthy's resume will command plenty of attention from teams seeking a high-profile hiring.
