 In February 2009, the Pirates extended his contract through the 2010 season.During the 2010 season, the Pirates announced that John Russell's contract had been extended through the 2011 season; though the extension occurred during the previous off season, the Pirates waited until June to announce the new contract, a move unpopular with many fans.On October 4, 2010, Russell was fired as the Pirates manager after a 105 loss season and an overall record of 186–299.