The Redskins have officially fired head coach Jay Gruden. In the interim, offensive line/assistant head coach Bill Callahan will take over the operation, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 
“Through the first five games of the 2019 season, the team has clearly not performed up to expectations, and we all share in that responsibility,” the team said, via press release. “Moving forward we are committed to doing all that we can collectively as an organization to turn things around and give our Redskins fans and alumni a team they can be proud of in 2019 and beyond.”
Last week, we heard another round of reports indicating a rift between Gruden and the organization, specifically as it pertains to first-round pick Dwayne Haskins. Reportedly, owner Dan Snyder & Co. drove the selection of the Ohio State quarterback – Gruden did not want him. This year, Gruden refused to start Haskins, citing his lack of NFL readiness.
Of course, Gruden’s recent off-the-field controversy didn’t help matters either. Days ago, a video surfaced in which Gruden appears to be smoking marijuana with a young woman. The Redskins declined to comment on the viral video, but it has been speculated that the Redskins leaked these year-old videos, so they could fire Gruden “with cause”, helping to ease potential financial ramifications of a firing. It’s reminiscent of circumstances leading up to the firing of GM Scot McCloughan.
Gruden also addressed recent comments by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, where Smith stated that Gruden had quit on his team.
“I heard about that one. That one is far from the truth. Those are fighting words for me,” Gruden said. “That’s one thing I will never do or have done in my life. I work extremely hard, getting up early as hell and working late and doing the best I can to get ourselves a victory this week. I have a lot of respect for everyone in this locker room and the last thing I would do to these players is quit on them because I know they’re not going to quit on me.”
The Redskins are 0-5, but it’s fair to wonder whether this is truly the fault of Gruden. The Redskins were not necessarily built to win in 2019 and the club’s constant discord is clearly holding the franchise back.
Callahan, 63, is a highly-respected figure in the NFL. Sometime during or after the Redskins’ press conference at 1pm ET, we’ll learn whether Callahan will garner consideration for the permanent post.
Callahan took over for Jon Gruden as the Raiders head coach in 2002 and held the post through 2003, before he was fired. After going 4-12 as Oakland’s head coach in ’03, he served as Nebraska’s HC for four years.
Not even his fault they are this bad. Snyder is the worst owner in the league! Guess the key didn’t work in the lock this morning
I’d say he’s the worst in pro American sports. The NY Knicks guy sucks as well. But Dan awful!
As a Pirates fan, I will gladly trade you Bob Nutting for Dan Snyder!!!!
Snyder at least “wants” to win, as opposed to Nutting who just wants to rake in as much cash as possible!
Sorry All … The Bengals get the nod here. Mike Brown is the absolute worst owner in professional sports. If I may tag a line from Moneyball when he’s describing the A’s … there good teams and there are poor teams then there is 50 foot of crap … then there’s us. Well in this context , the Bengals are the US.
Gruden shadow-posting
The Redskins are like the Mets of the NFL.
SMH
The Mets had a winning record this year and been to one of the World Series in the past five years.
What have the Redskins done?
Great point.
Snotrocket is clearly a spineless troll.
It probably won’t but it will be interesting to see if this has any impact on Trent Williams.
I’ve actually considered him not being on the field having a small blame on their lack of ability to score. Their o line has been awful imo, I haven’t watched a lot of film, but I’d imagine not having your pro bowl left tackle leader not on your team may have an effect communication and ability to protect the qb, which has been absolutely horrible. And though they may not be 5-0 if he was there, I think I small case could be made if he was on the field they may have a win or two.
A blind man can see this team stinks talent wise…. that’s on Bruce Allen guys… but Snyder is not smart enough to see it. This franchise has hit rock bottom. How low can you go? Totally trashed
Agreed. Where are the star players? Not here.
Got to feel totally bad for the few season ticket holders left? Team is totally surrounded by idiots
That video released by team to avoid paying him. I hope he sues and wins. That owner is awful…why draft a QB your coach doesn’t want? D.C. is truly a swamp…sports and politics.
Callahan is terrible only has a job in NFL because he is drinking buddies with the Grudens so they prop him up. Putting him in as HC all but guarantees the number one pick
Drinking buds or smoking “buds”?
Bruce Allen is an idiot. First he fires McCloughan because he’s upset that he was getting any credit for the team’s talent and puts that BS story about being drunk out there (after which multiple teams reached out to SM immediately to offer positions) and now they trot out the Gruden weed video. I would work under that moron for any amount of money. Not that Gruden wasn’t responsible for some of the issues and I think it was time to move on but this team is doomed as long as Allen has Snyder’s ear.
Gruden refused to start Haskins saying he was not ready then they put Haskins in against the Giants and in one half of play throws three interceptions and one of them went back for a pick six. Seems like Gruden was right on the money the bottom line here is the Redskins have was and will always be a joke.
This owner is a D Bag who doesn’t know how to build a team and the GM is no better. Yet this guy takes the blame. Like he can be out there blocking on the o line..no matter who plays QB they are getting crushed from such a terrible O Line. Then there’s the talent they lack on offense as as well as lack of talent on defense. I honestly am happy for Gruden, he was miserable and deserves better. He will go be the assistant OC or assistant HC in Oak and get a shot at coaching again next season as he should. He was done wrong by that terribly wrong organization.
The wrong man was fired today.
Bruce Allen should be the guy to go. When you look at the roster he assembled, it’s almost completely devoid of talent on the offensive side. You’ve got two QBs who are both fine back-ups, but neither is a starter. Then on top of that you force a QB you drafted on your coach, who didn’t want him to begin with. So immediately you’ve got an issue under center. The WR core is one of the worst in the league, leaving no one to throw to. Add in some injuries to Guice and Williams, who are about the only two talented offensive players they got, and the run game is shot. This team is punchless, and that’s not Gruden’s fault.
I won’t even bring up the defense, which might get scored on by some of the better college teams.
These are all roster construction flaws, and the blame for that goes on Allen. He ran one of the only decent talent evaluators they had in the FO out on a rail over some BS, and now they just did the same to a quality HC. What a circus.
Bill Callahan will get Washington to the Super Bowl where they will lose horribly to the Raiders!
Something tells me Jay Gruden isnt exactly heartbroken over having to leave this sinking ship.
It’s not even sinking anymore. Its sitting on the ocean floor rotting.
Better call Jeff Fisher. They need some of his 7-9 bs.