Which NFL head coach could be next after the Redskins fired Jay Gruden?
Gruden is gone in Washington but he may not be alone in the near future.
The Washington Redskins are 0-5 and things keep getting worse. After a competitive showing in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington has dropped four straight games by double-figures and, with each passing week, the margin of defeat has increased, peaking with a dismal, 33-7 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 5. On the heels of that effort, Redskins head coach Jay Gruden has been fired, with former Oakland Raiders head coach Bill Callahan taking over in an interim role.
Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post reported that Gruden was "summoned to Redskins Park for a 5 am ET meeting" and the team parted ways with the head coach after a 35-49-1 record.
"Through the first five games of the 2019 season, the team has clearly not performed up to expectations, and we all share in that responsibility," the Redskins said in a team-issued statement. "Moving forward we are committed to doing all that we can collectively as an organization to turn things around and give our Redskins fans and alumni a team they can be proud of in 2019 and beyond."
Gruden's firing was not exactly unexpected, particularly with a "showdown" against the struggling Miami Dolphins on the horizon in Week 6. With that said, there is plenty of intrigue as to who will be the next coach fired in the NFL and SportsLine oddsmakers see Dan Quinn of the Atlanta Falcons as the most likely candidate. Quinn is installed with 3-1 odds (for entertainment purposes only) and he is followed by Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett (4-1), Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone (6-1), Jets head coach Adam Gase (10-1), Giants head coach Pat Shurmur (15-1) and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin (20-1).
Quinn has his own issues in Atlanta, where the Falcons allowed 52 points to the Houston Texans in Week 5. Quinn took over as the team's defensive coordinator, in addition to his head coaching duties, before the 2019 season and, with a 1-4 overall record to boot, it stands to reason that he could be coaching for his job when the Falcons visit the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6.