Former Redskins head coach Jay Gruden was fired by Washington the day after he responded to post-game questions about his job security with, “I’ll find out if my keys work on Monday.” They didn’t, and the team looked to be falling apart at the seams. At that point, the team was 0-5. Gruden held that position for six seasons.
The Jacksonville Jaguars, however, are taking a chance on Gruden as they have hired him as their new offensive coordinator.
Before joining the Redskins, Gruden was the offensive coordinator for the Bengals for three seasons.
He was the third candidate to be interviewed for the vacant position, and the third with NFC East ties. Former Cowboys coordinator Scott Linehan and former Giants head coach Ben McAdoo also interviewed.
Gruden’s style is the West Coast offense. He has also been known to develop young quarterbacks.
The Jaguars and head coach Doug Marrone hope Gruden, who will be the team’s third offensive coordinator since 2018, will be able to turn the offense around. The offense was ranked 20th in total offense, 26th in scoring, and 31st in red zone scoring percentage this season.
The hire will be the answer to the first of many questions in Jacksonville this offseason. The next biggest question will be the quarterback position. Nick Foles, after signing a big contract, missed time with an injury and was ineffective when he did come back. On the alternative, Gardner Minshew, the unheralded rookie who showed some magic this season, could be the one running the offense. That decision could solely lie with Gruden.
