Winless Redskins dismiss Gruden
Owner Dan Snyder and President Bruce Allen summoned coach Jay Gruden to the Redskins facility before dawn Monday to tell him he was being fired.
“It was a brief conversation,” Allen said.
Now comes a longer conversation about the status of the floundering franchise that has won just two playoff games in Snyder’s two decades of ownership and zero during Allen’s tenure. Gruden is out after an 0-5 start to his sixth season and is the latest in a long line of Redskins coaches to take the fall for significant organizational shortcomings.
“To make a decision like this is difficult, but it was necessary,” Allen said during a 13-minute news conference. “Our 0-5 start is not just disappointing. We had much different expectations for the beginning of the season. We owe it to our fans, the organization, the players, the coaches and their families to do everything we can to win.”
The Redskins haven’t won much lately, going 35-49-1 overall under Gruden with one playoff appearance in the 2015 season.
Offensive line coach Bill Callahan, who has coached the Raiders, replaces Gruden on an interim basis.
Raiders trade for WR: The Raiders acquired receiver Zay Jones in a trade with the Raiders for a fifth-round pick in the 2021 draft, according to reports.
Jones, 24, has just seven catches for 69 yards this season after leading the Bills with 56 receptions for 652 yards and seven TDs in 2018.
Titans cut kicker: The Titans cut placekicker Cairo Santos a day after he missed four field goals in a 14-7 home loss to the Bills.
Santos missed a 50-yard field goal in the second quarter as well as a 36-yard attempt with 49 seconds left in the first half. The Bills blocked a 33yard attempt in the fourth, and Santos later missed a 53yarder.
Extra points: Bengals seventime Pro Bowl WR A.J. Green will not participate in this week’s practices as he continues to recover from ankle surgery. Green will not play Sunday against the Ravens. He hasn’t played this season . ... The Patriots released 38-yearold TE Ben Watson.