Washington Redskins President Bruce Allen has been fired from his position and is no longer with the organization, the team announced Monday morning.
In a major shake-up, Allen — who had been with the Redskins since 2010 — was ousted from the team entirely, according to a statement on the team’s website attributed to owner Dan Snyder.
“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,” Snyder said.
“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.”
There had been speculation that Allen would remain with the organization in some capacity.
Bruce Allen officially gone from the #Redskins organization. Dan Snyder statement. @wtop pic.twitter.com/tA4lFZf60s
— George Wallace (@GWallaceWTOP) December 30, 2019
From the outset of the 2010 season, the Redskins went 62-97-1 with Allen serving as Snyder’s right-hand man, a stretch that featured only two playoff appearances and zero playoff victories — along with plenty of public relations disasters.
Allen was hired as Washington’s executive VP and general manager in December 2009, then promoted to president in May 2014.
Allen infamously boasted at a news conference after the 2014 season that the Redskins were “winning off the field” under his watch. He was mocked more recently for objecting to reporters’ questions about widespread criticism of the organizational culture by asserting, “The culture is actually damn good.”
Despite playing in the league-worst NFC East, Washington went 3-13 this season and officially was eliminated from playoff contention with a 20-15 loss at the Green Bay Packers. Only two teams in the NFL currently have a worse record.
WTOP’s Melissa Howell spoke to a Redskins fan after the news broke about Allen.
“When I saw the headlines that he was being let go, I was like, ‘Yes! Maybe some better decisions can be made for us!’ Because we as Redskins fans are always hopeful, and we’re ready to win, every year,” said Deborah Hill, a D.C. native and season ticket holder for 15 years.
“Now we have more hope because he’s out,” Hill added. “We get somebody in there that has the passion — you have to have the passion with football. … This guy, he was just like hum drum. His demeanor is the same no matter what.”
Jay Gruden, who was given a contract extension by Allen, was fired after an 0-5 start to this season, his sixth — the longest stint for a head coach under Snyder — and replaced by offensive line coach Bill Callahan on an interim basis.
So the always-in-disarray Redskins are now in need of a president, a general manager and a coach — whoever is hired to those jobs will need to oversee a massive rebuilding project.
On Saturday, ESPN reported former Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera is the primary candidate to take over as head coach for the Redskins next season.
WTOP’s Chris Cichon and Melissa Howell contributed to this report. The Associated Press also contributed to this report.
