It’s Official! Jay Gruden has been named the new Head Coach of the Washington Washington Football Team.
Gruden had been scheduled to interview for the Minnesota Vikings coaching vacancy before he agreed to become the Washington Football Team’s coach. Gruden’s track record seems impressive which includes the past three seasons as the Bengals’ offensive coordinator, all of which ended with trips to the postseason.
USA reports:
Jay Gruden has agreed to a five-year deal to replace Mike Shanahan, a person familiar with the situation tells USA TODAY Sports’ Jarrett Bell.
Why Jay Gruden? ESPN reports
Gruden has deep ties to numerous members of the Washington 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 Washington Football Team’s GM.
10 Things About Jay Gruden
1- Gruden’s brother, Jon, a former coach of the Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders, is a broadcaster for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football”.
(below courtesy of Washington Post)
2- He’s in the Arena Football Hall of Fame
3- He was once called the “Michael Jordan of Arena Football”
4- He likes to be in charge.
A 2004 AP story included this quote from Gruden about his coaching style.
“I like having control over my team. I like signing who I want, cutting who I want, paying what I want and calling what I want on game day. … I’m kind of spoiled to where if I go somewhere else, and I’m low man on the totem pole, it’s hard for me to take that.”
