WASHINGTON — It’s mid-February and the Nats are getting ready to start Spring Training, while the Wizards and Caps are looking like playoff contenders. But we are talking Redskins. Of course we are.
On Wednesday, current Redskins coach Jay Gruden spoke at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and former Redskins coach Mike Shanahan called into ESPN 980 and was on for nearly the entire two-hour show. What a day.
Let’s start with the latter. The topics of Dan Snyder, Robert Griffin III, Donovan McNabb, Albert Haynesworth and Dr. James Andrews all came up during the that time. To sum it up, Shanahan basically threw them all under the bus in one way shape or form.
McNabb
For years, everyone was wondering whose decision it was to trade for the former Eagles quarterback. It was believed that decision came from above Shanahan, and on Wednesday, we find out it did.
Shanahan let everyone in on a little secret that he wanted Marc Bulger as his quarterback in 2011. Bulger was going to be a free agent and he thought it was going to “be a done deal” that he would come to Washington. Shanahan let Snyder and Bruce Allen know that he wanted to go in the direction of Bulger and that he didn’t want to give up draft choices. Then the McNabb conversation started and the Redskins ended up giving up draft choices to get him, something that Shanahan was not happy with at all.
“I didn’t want to give up draft choices for Donovan McNabb,” he said. “The decision was made, and I think mainly from Dan. Even though Bruce orchestrated the trade, I think Dan was the guy that wanted Donovan the most.”
At that point, Shanahan said he had no option but to try and make it work. It didn’t.
Bulger ended up being released by the Rams after McNabb landed in Washington.
Haynesworth
Shanahan knew that Albert Haynesworth wanted to play in a 4-3 defense. The coach let Haynesworth know that the Redskins were going to run a 3-4, and if he wanted to play in a 4-3, he had the chance to go out and find a team that was willing to take him and Shanahan would make that happen. There were no takers. Shanahan knew that Haynesworth was dogging it.
“You know when a guy isn’t giving you all he’s got,” Shanahan said.
Snyder, Griffin and Dr. Andrews
We all know how this movie ended after the 2013 season — not well. Mike Shanahan let us in on some good nuggets as the late season drama unfolded after Griffin hurt his knee in the Baltimore game.
The following week in Cleveland, the Redskins won with Kirk Cousins at the helm while running a different offense, one that suited Cousins more, which didn’t feature much read option at all.
Shanahan said he could tell that Griffin was upset they ran the option with him and not Kirk. Griffin made it known he didn’t want to run the read option when he started the next week in Philadelphia. They didn’t run it as much, but in the finale against the Cowboys Shanahan explained to Griffin that they needed to run a little because that’s how they were going to win the game and the NFC East. Throughout the last couple weeks, Shanahan was also questioning Dr. James Andrews, who said Griffin’s knee was continuing to get better. According to Shanahan, he thought otherwise.
He said he could tell something was wrong with Griffin’s knee and kept questioning him about it, explaining that if something were wrong, then he was going to be pulled from the game. Griffin and Dr. Andrews kept insisting he was fine. After the final injury occurred in the playoff game against Seattle, Shanahan says Griffin wanted a sit down meeting with Mike and Kyle following the Super Bowl. Griffin reportedly told them he didn’t want to run anymore and was ready to be a pocket passer. He also told them there were certain plays he did not want to run anymore.
Shanahan explained to Griffin that he was not ready to be a pocket passer.
“He never trusted me after I told him he wasn’t ready to be a drop back passer,” Shanahan said.
There was also the Snyder factor.
“Dan felt very strongly about Robert being a drop back quarterback,” Shanahan said. “I knew my time was short-lived with that type of mindset, but Dan felt very strongly about that.”
Shanahan also said what we have heard a lot of this year — that Griffin works out a lot in the gym, but needs to put more time in the film room.
The 2013 season was a disaster and Shanahan was fired the day after the season ended.
Gruden
Gruden managed to make news as well Wednesday, when he took the podium in Indianapolis, even though he spoke for only seven minutes after arriving eight minutes late for his media session. Each coach is allotted 15 minutes and no more. Reporters in Indianapolis said that Gruden was then taken away by Redskins PR and not made available to local reporters.
But he did have enough time at the podium to drop this offseason bomb.
“We’ll go into the season with Robert as the No. 1 guy, obviously, and then it’s up to Robert to continue to grow and mature as a quarterback.” Gruden said.
So, there you have it. That’s a lot stronger statement that the coach made at the end of season where he basically said there would be an open competition.
It’s only February folks.
