On Saturday, we reported that Redskins defensive coordinator Greg Blache already has been interviewed for the head-coaching job currently held by Jim Zorn. Later that day, the Washington Post reported that secondary coach Jerry Gray has interviewed for the gig.
Now, FOX 31 in Denver reports that both Blache and Gray have told Zorn that they did not interview for his job.
But, really, what else would they say?
Meanwhile, FOX 31 reports that Redskins tight ends coach Scott Wachenheim has told Zorn that Mike Shanahan’s arrival is a “done deal.”
Apart from the creation of rifts and hard feelings in the coaching staff, the league office and/or the Fritz Pollard Allienace eventually could become interested in the growing appearance that the Redskins have offered the job to Shanahan without conducting at least one good-faith interview of a minority candidate, as required by the Rooney Rule. Such a conclusion has recently been bolstered by Jay Glazer’s report that owner Daniel Snyder offered the job to Shanahan during the 2009 offseason.
Hall of Fame linebacker Harry Carson, who serves as Executive Director of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, told FOX 31 that the situation in Washington would likely be discussed at Monday’s meeting of the NFL’s diversity committee.
‘I’m sure the Redskins issue will be one of the first items on our agenda today,” Carson said. “Right now we are just trying to gather all the information. Hopefully [failure to comply with the Rooney Rule] is not the case with their organization. . . .
“We wish that everyone would abide by the spirit of the rule and not try to get over by circumventing it. Again, I’m not sure that that is the case as of yet in Washington, but we are getting ready to address it within the hour. Our goal is to work with league in this alliance, and have everybody work together on this.”
Regardless of how everything turns out, the Redskins surely would prefer to be dealing with other issues as the franchise prepares to host two prime-time games in the next six days.