Washington is moving quickly to reset their franchise after another losing season.
On the heels of a report that the team is planning to hire Ron Rivera as their next head coach comes word of another major change in the organization. Longtime team president Bruce Allen has been relieved of those duties.
Chatter that such a move was coming surfaced in recent days, although it was unclear if Allen would be reassigned or jettisoned completely. It’s the latter as team owner Daniel Snyder made clear that Allen is no longer going to be employed by the organization in any role.
“As this season concludes, Bruce Allen has been relieved of his duties as President of the Washington Redskins and is no longer with the organization,” Snyder said in a statement. “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. 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.”
Allen had become a frequent source of criticism and anger from a fanbase that saw two playoff games over Allen’s 10 years as the head of the team’s football operations. Allen’s tenure was also marked by a long series of embarrassing stories about the way the team handled matters with players, which only added to the bad feelings generated by the team’s record.
Allen defended the team’s approach and said he felt there was a good culture around the franchise, but Snyder has still opted to move in a different direction for 2020 and beyond. There has been talk of Allen landing a job with the Rams, so he may surface in Los Angeles while Washington charts its new course without him.