The NFL’s Black Monday featured people losing their jobs as the New York Giants fired head coach Pat Shurmur. There are also questions as to whether or not Jason Garret will be fired by the Dallas Cowboys or not. The Washington Redskins made a Monday move by firing team president, Bruce Allen.
Source: The #Redskins have informed President Bruce Allen that he is no longer in charge of football operations. A big move to begin a day full of them.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 30, 2019
The firing of Allen needed to be done. Allen had been Washington’s team president since 2010 and never had a winning season. Washington had a 62-97-1 record under Allen and ranked last in the NFC East with a win percentage of .391 and finished tied for the fewest playoff appearances with two. Under Allen, no team has won during the playoffs. The only good thing about Allen’s tenure in Washington is that he helped draft seven Pro Bowlers.
“As this season concludes, Bruce Allen has been relieved of his duties as president of the Washington Redskins and is no longer with the organization,” Redskins owner Dan Snyder said in a statement. “Like our passionate fan base, I recognize we have not lived up to the high standards set by great Redskins teams, coaches and players who have come before us. As we reevaluate our team leadership, culture and process for winning football games, I am excited for the opportunities that lie ahead to renew our singular focus and purpose of bringing championship football back to Washington D.C.”
Allen’s firing isn’t the only move that Washington has made. It appears that they have found Jay Gruden’s replacement. Gruden was in his sixth season with Washington but was fired after an 0-5 start. The Redskins are expected to hire Ron Rivera to a five-year deal, sources told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The #Redskins are making Ron Rivera their new coach and giving him a 5-year deal, sources say. A big commitment.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 31, 2019
Rivera will be the seventh head coach hired by Dan Snyder. He is a good choice to be Washington’s next coach because he can turn things around, like he did with the Carolina Panthers. In 2010, the season before Rivera became the coach of the Panthers, they went 2-14. Three years after that, they were 12-4. The Panthers made the Super Bowl in 2015 after going 15-1.
Overall, Rivera had a 76-63-1 record with the Panthers. Under Rivera, the Panthers made the playoffs four times and won three NFC South titles in a row. Washington, meanwhile, hasn’t made the playoffs since 2015. If the Redskins are going to turn things around and become a playoff team, Rivera is the right man for the job.
Panthers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy would tell Washington players about Rivera, “One of the best things that ever happened to your career is about to happen. He is one of the greatest men I’ve ever been around, one of the greatest coaches I’ve ever been around … he’s going to turn that place around. Guaranteed.”
In 2020, Washington will have a new team president and a new coach. Both changes were needed because Washington was going to keep having losing seasons if changes weren’t made. The changes should bring hope that the Redskins will have a winning season and maybe make the playoffs in 2020.
