Report: Shanahan turned down Redskins job
According to a report by NFL Fanhouse, former Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan turned down the opportunity to replace Jim Zorn as head coach of the Redskins.
“Shanahan told the franchise there was little he could do in the middle of the season for them and that changing coaches during the season in the NFL rarely works,” a Redskins management source told FanHouse. “Several people that Dan Snyder trusts have suggested, if he makes a move, he should turn it over to secondary coach Jerry Gray. That could still happen.
“We are trying to give Jim every chance to turn it around. The move to [bring in offensive consultant Sherm] Lewis is to take more off Jim’s plate, especially the play-calling, because it is not working, and that is where Jim is spending much of his time. Now he can coach the entire team. Let’s see where that gets us.”
This is just another example of Daniel Snyder’s ineptitude as an owner. He makes rash decisions without fully thinking them through and looks for quick fixes instead of building from the ground up.
What would be the point of hiring Shanahan now? He would immediately be at a disadvantage with the players who liked Zorn and he would have no time to implement the changes he wants. It would have been a stupid move and quite frankly, Snyder is lucky Shanahan turned him down.
This reminds me of when Snyder flirted with signing Byron Leftwich in the offseason. Leftwich would have been a horrendous fit for the West Coast Offense, yet since he was the best quarterback on the free agent market, Snyder had to have him. In the end, Leftwich wasn’t signed but the ordeal hurt Jason Campbell’s confidence and left him questioning his future in Washington.
If Snyder really wants to help his team, he should work with his coaching staff on building a new offensive line, which is arguably a bigger issue than Zorn’s inabilities as a playcaller. Even if Snyder hires Shanahan in the offseason, the Redskins have a long way to go to get back to respectability.
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Posted in: NFL
Tags: Byron Leftwich, Daniel Snyder, Daniel Snyder is an idiot, Jason Campbell, Jim Zorn, Mike Shanahan, Washington Redskins
I agree with most of what you said. I read another article where the writer said Campbell ha to go and put in McCoy what are people always thinking about in DC area. We almost mess up the guys career then now he is up to speed they want to let him go somewhere else and blow up like so many others have. I think Portis has to go if anyone else. He is a cancer. His 2 yards and then hit the ground aint gonna cut it either. When he went down and others stepped up big time was when it should have become clear that he was our weakness. Without a running game campbell could not develop simple. Also how man coaches has Campbell had? yet he still did what he was suppose to. They were goin to trade him for cutler who had slightly better numbers playin with a better offense in Denver. We always crave superstars yet when we get ours we stifle them…ask Lavar. Its not just the Skins its this metro area in general.
Quentin,
Good points. I think Campbell can succeed in this league and you’re right, why develop a guy so he can produce elsewhere? It doesn’t make any sense. Is Campbell a superstar? No – he’ll always need other guys around him in order to help him reach his full potential. But he’s always a hard worker and someone that has flashed potential.
This will be an interesting offseason for the Skins.
redskins, and the raiders have had the same trouble all their lives– the owners want to hire different people to put in key positions,then as,owners-they still want total control of everyone on the field-trying to work the game with headphones, and cell phones-just can’t leave their staff do their job.the staff can’t do their job until they say -MOTHER MAY I-other team owners wait for the raiders,and redskins to drop staff, so they can pick em up-both teams have had this same trouble for 10 yrs. or better-GO FIGURE