Redskins wagering that Jay Gruden’s experience will yield results
By Ian Cummings
It’s easy to find the wrong man for the job.
The job of an NFL head coach allows for plenty of failure. So many things go into the successful execution of a head coach’s role. You must be a motivator. A strategist. A quick thinker. Steady and level-headed with those thoughts. And in the heat of the moment, you need to make the right decision, or those above you will have a much easier decision to make.
It’s easy to become the wrong man for the job. Make a bad call, or waste a timeout at an improper moment. Be a player’s buddy, as opposed to their mentor. Be their boss, as opposed to their friend.
The role of a head coach is not dissimilar from that of a trapeze artist. One step too wide, and it’s a long way down. That said, a misstep is not unforgivable. The best walkers can regain their balance on a moment’s notice, and their missteps are few and far between. For a coach to venture across the line, he has to make all the right steps along the way.
Jay Gruden has travelled far on the tightrope over his four seasons with the Washington Redskins. There have been times where he lost his balance, and times where many thought the ground would meet him below. But look back from where Gruden stands, and you’ll find that where he started is a far point in the distance. He’s made plenty of right steps along the way, and his record is a haze that hides this. But there’s still a path ahead of him.
Since going 4-12 in Gruden’s first season, the Redskins have climbed up from the basement of the NFL. In 2015 and 2016, they competed for a playoff spot, once earning the honor, and in 2017, they remained resolute amidst a wave of injuries. Gruden has shown that he can be a respectable coach. But can he win?
2018 is a clean slate for Gruden, and he knows it. A chance to capitalize on the right steps he’s made, and a chance to change what he’s done wrong in the past. The Redskins roster is as strong as it’s ever been under Gruden’s watch, and he has a quarterback in tow, Alex Smith, who’s made a living out of winning in seasons past. The pieces are there. All it takes now is a head coach who can put it together.
The Redskins are putting their trust in Gruden’s experience, and while we won’t see the fruit of that time until midseason, subtle changes are easy to see. The Redskins’ practices are reportedly more focused than they’ve been in a long time, and there’s a special camaraderie billowing amongst the burgundy and gold. That aura undoubtedly extends to the head coach; the one who sets the tone.
Next. Redskins: When man, city, and purpose all meet. dark
It’s easy to be the wrong man for the job. But with opportunity and experience, the wrong man can become the right man. The Redskins hope Jay Gruden is the tightrope walker who has perfected his craft under pressure.