Jay Gruden expected to emerge as Redskins top coaching candidate

Jay Gruden has ties to the Redskins' Bruce Allen and Raheem Morris. 

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Redskins general manager Bruce Allen has told others he plans to interview 10-12 candidates for his coaching opening, then re-interview two-or-three finalists. Several of the most intriguing candidates are not eligible to be explored until this week with their teams playing in the divisional round. Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden is among the top names on their list, sources said, and Allen's relationship working with Gruden's older brother, Jon, could end up being a positive factor in the process.

Gruden will have numerous interviewing opportunities, and Washington is appealing to him, sources said. Detroit is seen by many as the best job still out there, and the Browns are expected to speak to Gruden as well. Thus far, the Redskins have been applying an old philosophy that was long espoused by Raiders owner Al Davis -- Allen worked for Davis in Oakland -- which is to use a coaching interview process to accrue as much information for your team as possible. Particularly, among division rivals.

 

Allen interviewed Cowboys special teams coach Rich Bisaccia this week, and, league sources said they expect him to interview at least one member of Chip Kelly's staff in Philadelphia. It will be likely either offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur or quarterbacks coach Bill Lazor, or perhaps even both. Allen interviewed Carolina defensive coordinator Sean McDermott Saturday (McDermott was a former coordinator with the Eagles), and, by talking to such a wide group of candidates -- but really knowing only a handful are likely to get the job -- Allen and owner Dan Snyder get to solicit ideas, potential other staff hires, and useful information about other organizations, as well as get free scouting reports on the Redskins' roster from each candidate.

The last time their regime ended with a high-profile head coach, when Joe Gibbs retired, they ended up spending weeks interviewing candidates only to end up with Jim Zorn. With Mike Shanahan's firing ending an ugly final few weeks in Washington, this process could mirror what took place back in 2008, when they ended up with Zorn.

Many believe the Redskins could still explore Baylor's Art Briles, who coached quarterback Robert Griffin III in college, before all is said and done, and of the list of top coordinators, Jay Gruden could end up atop their wish list. Some coaches are concerned with the idea that Allen, who does not have a scouting background, will be in charge of personnel in Washington and have final say, but the unique relationship between him and Allen (Jay Gruden was once a part of his brother's staff in Tampa) and the fact that Jay Gruden has personnel experience himself from his time running an Arena League team, could work in his favor, too. Furthermore, some of the coaches Allen elected not to fire immediately when cleaning out Shanahan's staff, have ties to Gruden (like former Bucs coach Raheem Morris, now Redskins secondary coach, who worked with Jay Gruden on Jon Gruden's staff in Tampa) or are thought of highly by him, sources said, with tight ends coach Sean McVay and offensive line coach Chris Foerster among them.

Jay Gruden to coach Redskins

Cincinnati offensive coordinator Jay Gruden will replace Mike Shanahan as Washington's head coach.

The Washington Redskins' search for a new head coach, which once looked like it would take weeks, ended Thursday when the team agreed to hire Jay Gruden, a league source told ESPN.

Gruden had been scheduled to interview for the Minnesota Vikings coaching vacancy Thursday before he agreed to become the Redskins' coach. He is expected to be introduced by the Redskins on Thursday afternoon. The team has called a 4 p.m. ET news conference.

He replaces Mike Shanahan, who was fired the day after the team's season ended. Gruden becomes the sixth coach hired by owner Dan Snyder in his 15 years; none have lasted more than four years.

Gruden, the Cincinnati Bengals' offensive coordinator, interviewed with Washington on Wednesday, one day after meeting with the Tennessee Titans. He also had a visit scheduled with the Detroit Lions.

The Bengals plan to promote quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson to offensive coordinator with Gruden headed to the Redskins, a league source said.

Gruden has deep ties to numerous members of the organization, which is why he was always considered one of the favorites for the position. He worked as a Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive assistant for five seasons under general manager Bruce Allen, now the Redskins' GM. Secondary coach Raheem Morris worked with Gruden in Tampa; Redskins tight ends coach Sean McVay worked with Gruden for one year in Tampa and one year in the United Football League. Finally, Gruden served as the offensive coordinator for Jim Haslett in the UFL with the Florida Tuskers.

McVay is expected to become Washington's offensive coordinator under Gruden, while Morris is a candidate to be defensive coordinator, according to league sources.

Gruden spent the past three seasons as the Bengals' offensive coordinator, all of which ended with trips to the postseason. The offense fizzled in the playoffs, averaging 11 points in three losses. Gruden, however, earned praise for his work with quarterback Andy Dalton, who's thrown for more than 3,000 yards in each of his first three seasons.

In that time, the Bengals improved in points per game, from 18th to 12th to sixth. They had the NFL's 10th-ranked offense in total yards in 2013.

Gruden also served two stints as head coach of the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League and was the Tuskers' head coach and general manager in 2010.

Gruden's task with Washington is to restore a sense of balance to a franchise that thought it turned a corner last season, going 10-6 and capturing the NFC East. But the Redskins' season fell apart in 2013 in part because of inconsistent play by quarterback Robert Griffin III and a defense that wasn't good enough to offset his struggles.

Griffin was benched the final three games and had a difficult relationship with Shanahan. He did not always like how he was used, particularly when it came to running the zone read option -- and that was especially true after he injured his knee late in the 2012 season.

But Griffin is only one year removed from a historic rookie season that saw him throw for 3,200 yards and run for 815 more. He threw 20 touchdown passes and ran for seven.

Gruden's brother, Jon, a former coach of the Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders, is a broadcaster for ESPN's "Monday Night Football."

Jay Gruden was elected to the Arena Football League Hall of Fame in 1999.