UPDATE (7:20 a.m. ET): The Washington Redskins made it official: Jay Gruden has been fired.
ORIGINAL STORY: The Jay Gruden era in the nation’s capital reportedly is over.
The Washington Redskins fired head coach Jay Gruden early Monday morning, as first reported by ESPN’s Dan Graziano. The Redskins dropped to 0-5 on the season Sunday afternoon when they suffered an ugly 26-point loss at home to the New England Patriots.
There was some buzz ahead of Sunday’s game which indicated it would be Gruden’s last as the Redskins’ head coach. Gruden side-stepped questions about his future in Washington following the loss to New England, noting he didn’t “have a concern” about what soon could come, per The Associated Press.
While Redskins brass evidently believes it’s time for a change, Gruden’s reported firing apparently isn’t going over too well with players. One Washington starter texted ESPN’s Dianna Russini, “If they think this will make us better this season, it won’t.” Another player told Russini, “Someone had to take the blame.”
Gruden was in his sixth season as Redskins head coach. He led Washington to two above-.500 campaigns over the course of his tenure, with his top mark coming in 2015 when the team went 9-7 and won the NFC East, only to fall in the Wild Card round.
Offensive line coach/assistant head coach Bill Callahan reportedly will serve as the Redskins’ interim head coach, per NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. Washington will visit the 0-4 Miami Dolphins in Week 6.
