Earlier this week, Washington offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan defended his decision to join forces with his father after Mike Shanahan became head coach of the Redskins.
Kyle reportedly has made a new decision. To move on.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that Kyle Shanahan has decided to no longer work with his father, and that Kyle will embark “on his own path” next year.
Lost in that assessment is the fact that the decision may not rest with Kyle. If he’s under contract beyond 2013, owner Daniel Snyder could insist on keeping him around. Which would be yet another move in the ongoing game of chess/checkers/chicken between Daniel Snyder and Mike Shanahan.
Regardless, Kyle never should have gone to Washington in the first place. While it’s great when fathers and sons can work together, it makes a lot more sense when the father owns the business. When the father is an employee, hiring the son creates a potential mess.
The mess becomes even more complicated when, as Jason La Canfora of NFL Network points out, the father also hires a bunch of the son’s friends -- and people in the organization start complaining about the son.
Mike has, in our view, spent a lot of effort this week and previously to insulate Kyle from scrutiny or criticism for the situation in Washington. While Kyle may get a shot to be an offensive coordinator elsewhere, his head-coaching prospects have taken a hit during his four years of working with his father.