Yahoo Sports.com: Jay Gruden opens up about getting fired by Washington: 'I'm not bitter'
By TK, October 8, 2019 in The Stadium
https://sports.yahoo.com/jay-gruden-opens-up-about-firing-im-not-bitter-234208356.html
Former Washington coach Jay Gruden knew the writing was on the wall the minute he was invited to Dan Snyder's office. In a season full of rumors about Gruden's job security, Sunday's loss to the New England Patriots was the final straw.
Gruden was fired by Snyder at 5 a.m. on Monday. While you might expect Gruden to be upset about his dismissal, that wasn't the case, according to Les Carpenter of the Washington Post.
"I'm not bitter," he said.
The 52-year-old Gruden knew this was coming. Following the 33-7 loss to the Patriots on Sunday, Washington dropped to 0-5 on the season. Washington is one of four NFL teams that has yet to win a game this season.
Gruden knew that performance was not good enough for him to keep his job, according to Carpenter.
"This is a production-based business, and I didn't get it done," he said.
There was, however, one thing that did irk Gruden about his firing. During team president Bruce Allen's press conference Monday, Allen talked about new head coach Bill Callahan installing discipline and execution into the team. Gruden took issue with that, telling Carpenter, "I want to make sure that everybody knows that I actually did work."
In six seasons with Washington, Gruden compiled a 35-49 record. He led the team to one playoff appearance in 2015, but the team lost its first game in the postseason.
Though 2019 was a disaster, Gruden could draw interest on the open market. Kirk Cousins developed into a viable starter under Gruden's watch. While Gruden's overall record wasn't great, some owners could wonder if things would have been different had Gruden been with a more stable franchise.
Gruden may get that opportunity in the offseason. Until then, he'll continue to say he's not mad, just disappointed that Washington let him go.
He's a good guy. Probably not a great coach. But he kept his job for so long because he's such a good guy. Maybe he'd do better if he wasn't hamstrung but an infinitely inept front office but here we are.
I wouldn't be mad to be rid of this garbage can either.
Good luck Jay. Your lucky to get away from this loser of a franchise.
joeken24
3 minutes ago, Csup said:
Jay came from the Cincinnati Bengals. Its not like he came from a winning organization and got snuffed out. He was a losing coach.
I will be interested to see how Gruden does in his next head coaching job with I hope a better owner and front office, good luck to him.
3 minutes ago, joeken24 said:
They were actually decent while he was there. Better than anything this franchise has put together under Dan's ownership. That's not a compliment to the Bengals, by the way.
I'm not commenting on Jay's coaching ability. I'm saying life will be better leaving the stench of this organization behind. Lombardi would have failed If he worked for Synder.
NickyJ
The Deep Threat
18 minutes ago, TK said:
Of course he did work. Being a disc jockey at Club Jay is no cake walk lol
Seriously, though. Kudos to Gruden for not slinging dirt after he got fired, mid-season no less. I appreciate when a coach can keep his dignity and still admit that the team wasn't doing well. The FO absolutely undermined the whole situation, but he didn't point fingers. That's a plus in my book.
fwo40
I'm sorry I'm not getting on the "poor Jay no one wins here" bandwagon. Is this like a funeral? Are we afraid to say something bad about the deceased?
Of course he's not bitter about leaving - he collected a sizable check for getting out-coached almost weekly. He's been on cruise control for at least a year.
We all know he wasn't the only thing wrong with the team. But he was wrong while with the team.
1 minute ago, fwo40 said:
His coaching record speaks for itself. But what's wrong with wishing him luck?
tshile
13 minutes ago, fwo40 said:
I'm sorry I'm not getting on the "poor Jay no one wins here" bandwagon. Is this like a funeral? Are we afraid to say something bad about the deceased?
No it's just that we have such a long and well documented track record of ruining the career of everyone who walks in the doors, we say something nice when they leave; career shattered to pieces.
blame him all you want. There's one, and only one, common denominator in 20+ years of losing. And it's a guy everyone hates and everyone knows is clueless, vengeful, petulant, vindictive and just generally a nasty person.
10 hours ago, Csup said:
Lombardi would've never worked for a pathetic man like Snyder. If he did, he would've dropped him on Day 1 with a kidney punch. At this point, only the desperate and unwanted come here. It's like the Island of Misfit Toys.
I was watching the Coach's Show this weekend, and they cut to break while showing friggin' Rob Ryan's fat ass trying to coach linebackers. It was a pathetic sight. I turned from the TV with a tear in my eye like the Native American litter picker-upper guy in the old commercial.
Edited October 8, 2019 by Dissident2
Rex Tomb
4 minutes ago, Dissident2 said:
I turned from the TV with a tear in my eye like the Native American litter picker-upper guy in the old commercial. 
Skins199021
He is good with QBs, which is why i am so worried about the FO pushing for the Haskins despite the cautions from the coaches
The Sisko
59 minutes ago, NickyJ said:
I'll bet he was actually relieved. "Dan, what took you so long buddy?"
glongest
6 minutes ago, Skins199021 said:
Not trying to take issue with you because everybody is entitled to their own opinion but what quarterback did he develop here? I can't think of a one.
I am left wondering what if? What if Smith doesn't break his leg when the Skins start 6-3? I'm not suggesting the 2018 Skins were Super Bowl-bound but they clearly weren't bums either. Maybe they would've finished 10-6 and win a playoff game, something good to build on going forward. Don't laugh they started 6-3 so finishing 10-6 is well within the realm of possibilities. They went 6-3 with Smith and I think they won only 1 after he went down. What if Smith stays healthy and Jay is 3-2 or 4-1 today? Smith's broken leg was horrible luck but the 2015 aftermath is all on the front office.
Another major what-if for me is the aftermath of 2015. The Skins win the division on the strength of a passing game fueled by Cousins, Garcon and Jackson. The Skins let Garcon and Jackson walk and refused to meet a modest contract extension request by Cousins opting to apply the franchise tag to him instead. What if the Skins had confidently decided to reward their performers like competent franchises do and extended all three and kept a winning unit together? Things could have been a lot different and that is on Snyder, not Gruden.
Another thing, when I think of Jay's tenure in DC I completely remove the 4-12 2014 record because Gruden wasn't allowed to select his own starter, he was forced to waste the summer reps and play Griffin. So in fairness to Gruden, I start the clock on his tenure with 2015 and the risky and correct decision to go with Cousins. it was the right decision and they won a division championship and briefly looked like a team with an exciting future and a bright young coach, until they weren't. Jay isn't responsible for losing Jackson, Garcon, and Cousins instead of having them thrive in DC. We can all thank Daniel Snyder for that institutional incompetence.
I don't know what Gruden will be able to accomplish if he gets a head coaching job with a strong front office but I won't be surprised if he is successful. Snyder is the problem. Not Gruden, not Shanahan, not Gibbs 2.0, not Marty and maybe not 1 or 2 of the others. Snyder is an organizational albatross that no management or coaching team has been able to overcome. The fact that Gruden bore up better than they others may bode well for his future, we'll see when he gets his next shot. As for the Skins, I just don't think anyone will succeed working for Snyder until Snyder finally decides to really let a smart football guy run the football operation and it just may not be in him to do that.
Edited October 8, 2019 by Veryoldschool
I think his doggedness was a lot of the reason the Redskins were able to hover around .500 despite the awful front office. He'd clearly checked out by the beginning of this season, though.
Califan007
58 minutes ago, tshile said:
No it's just that we have such a long and well documented track record of ruining the career of everyone who walks in the doors...
Yeah...Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan, and Matt Lefleur saw their careers go straight down the toilet after leaving here lol...
Yeah man you found 3 studs even we couldn't ruin.
definitely outweighs the rest of it
PartyPosse
You found 3 coaches that went to teams with great building blocks in place.
Ok, maybe not SF, but i'm not overly convinced by their early start considering their records combined is like 5-14. He was also 10-22 coming into this year.
8 minutes ago, Califan007 said:
None of which were head coaches.
But as a whole, the Skins at least attempt to fuel the narrative on the departed in negative fashion. I no longer think performing average to mediocre here is seen as a career crusher. Lasting 5 years and being near .500 here makes Jay appear an accomplished survivor.
jsharrin55
1 hour ago, fwo40 said:
I think most wanted Gruden gone and knew he was part of the problem.
Seeing he is fired and signs point to Allen remaining in place, the anger and frustration is boiling and it's polishing the turd that was his coaching since we know the full on **** storm that remains.
Or at least that's how it feels for me.
Just now, tshile said:
"everyone who walks in the doors"
And I'm trying to figure out whose careers were ruined by working here. Norv? Hardly, still went on to underperform for several other franchises as head coach. Marty? He went to the Chargers and was fired after taking them to 14-2. Spurrier? Never should have been hired to begin with...he ruined his own NFL career. Gibbs? lol...no. Zorn? Maybe, but he is similar to Spurrier in that he never should have been hired. Being a QB coach may have been his ceiling no matter where he went. Shanahan? he already had a lengthy career, hard to say it was ruined...especially considering how fluffed up he gets by the media now. Not to mention 6-10, 5-11 and 3-13 don't buy you job security, regardless of RG3. Gruden? We will have to wait and see. John Schneider? Hardly lol...building a SB winner in Seattle isn't what I'd call a ruined career. Morocco Brown? Director of College Scouting for the Colts, seems a lateral move from here. Scot M? Nope...considering he had more or less flushed his NFL front office career down the tubes with his alcohol problem before ever coming to the Redskins...we were one of I think just 2 teams willing to give him another front office position. And it looks like his drinking problem was still a problem, which is not due to anything having to do with the Redskins. He's back to doing what he did before we hired him. Marvin Lewis? Nada...went on to be the head coach of the Bengals for 16 years after leaving here.