The Washington Redskins fired coach Jay Gruden on Monday morning after they fell to 0-5. As they look for a permanent replacement, the team named Bill Callahan as the interim head coach.
Who is the new man in charge? Here’s what you need to know about Callahan:
He has head coaching experience
Callahan is one of two coaches on Gruden’s staff with head coaching experience. Ironically, this isn’t the first time he has replaced a Gruden. After Jon Gruden left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002, the Oakland Raiders named Callahanhas coach. The 63-year-old went 15-17 over two seasons before being fired. Following Oakland, he spent four seasons at the collegiate level as the head coach in Nebraska.
His two seasons with the Raiders vastly differed
Callahan’s first season as the Raiders’ coach was a success. Oakland went 11-5 and met the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII. But the following year was drastically different as Oakland finished just 4-12, leading to Callahan’s dismissal.
His former players have accused him of sabotage
Let’s get this first note out of the way: Callahan explicitly denied all allegations — calling them “ludicrous and defamatory.” But in 2013, former receivers Tim Brown and Jerry Rice accused him of undermining the Raiders’ chances in the Super Bowl due to his friendship with Jon Gruden. “We all called it sabotage,” Brown said, accusing Callahan of changing the game-plan at the last minute from a heavy run plan to a heavy passing attack. In a statement, Callahan said he was “shocked, saddened and outraged” by the claims.
Callahan is a respected offensive line coach
Though he may not have had sustained success as a head coach, Callahan is a well-respected offensive line coach known for his ability to get the most out of his players. He works them tirelessly in practice with the position group often being the last ones in the locker room. The Redskins hired Callahan in 2015.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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