The Redskins fired GM Scot McCloughan on Thursday just over halfway into a four-year contract due to his "ongoing problems with alcohol," according to a source cited by Clarke, Cox, Jones & Tesfatsion of the WASHINGTON POST. Alcohol also "led to his firing from front-office positions" with the 49ers in '10 and Seahawks in '14. McCloughan "hasn't actively worked for the team in weeks." The source said that even before McCloughan "left Redskins Park abruptly late last month ... he already had been placed in 'timeout' because of his behavior." The timing of McCloughan's firing "mirrors a pattern, coming at the most stressful, intense period of the NFL offseason" between February's Scouting Combine and the Draft in April. That is the "same window in which McCloughan was relieved of his duties with the 49ers." While there were "indications McCloughan had been drinking" as the '16 season unfolded, there was "no outward sign it was interfering with his job performance." Of a half-dozen Redskins players reached Thursday, none said that they had "ever seen McCloughan drink in the locker room." Another player "characterized McCloughan as frequently drunk but never thought much about it because his behavior and comportment never changed." Thursday's move "could not be worse for the Redskins, coming on the opening day of NFL free agency." His ouster leaves Redskins Owner Daniel Snyder looking for the fifth GM "of his 18-year tenure" with the team. Redskins President Bruce Allen likely will "oversee decisions on free agency and the draft" (WASHINGTON POST, 3/10). In DC, Nora Princiotti writes Allen and Redskins VP/Football Administration & General Counsel Eric Schaffer have been "working as the de facto general managers with McCloughan out of the building, but his firing leaves the Redskins without a critical employee at one of the most pivotal points in the offseason" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 3/10).
BREAKING IT DOWN: NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said McCloughan is "one of the best talent evaluators that many have seen in decades in the NFL." He is "as respected an evaluator as it gets" ("NFL Total Access," NFL Network, 3/9). YAHOO SPORTS' Shalise Manza Young wrote McCloughan is "highly respected around the NFL for his scouting acumen" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 3/9). The Washington Post's Mike Jones noted McCloughan was respected by "everyone who worked and played for him" (TWITTER.com, 3/9). In Richmond, Paul Woody writes McCloughan "knows football," and the game has "been his life." However, he "needs to get his life under control before he even thinks about watching a game, studying film or evaluating a single player" (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 3/10). ESPN.com's John Keim notes McCloughan's "expertise was in finding personnel, but it remains uncertain how much his inability to build a stronger talent base contributed to his departure." McCloughan had a "mixed personnel record" while with the Redskins. Of McCloughan's 17 draft picks, 13 "remain on the roster and three are projected starters." The Redskins' free-agent record under McCloughan also "wasn't great" (ESPN.com, 3/10).
MORE TO THE STORY? ESPN's Ryen Russillo wondered if McCloughan's alcohol use was "really an issue with the Redskins, or did somebody just want to force him out on a power play?" Russillo: "If that's the case, this is nasty" ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 3/10). NFL Network's Michael Silver said, "There's a way to handle these things in a classier way.” But NFL Network's Steve Wyche said, “We do not know the Redskins' side of this. We have not heard their side of this, so let's also point that out. Maybe they tried to help him. Maybe there was some type of situation that we do not know about, if he in fact needed help” (“NFL Total Access,” NFL Network, 3/9). However, in DC, Jerry Brewer writes the Redskins "hastily plopped a man with a drinking problem into its toxic environment without a proper plan to support him and ensure he had the best chance to succeed." Allen instead "created an exit strategy," as he "limited McCloughan’s power and influence despite declaring publicly his GM would have final say on all personnel matters." Allen "protected the organization, which is part of his job, by making McCloughan disposable" (WASHINGTON POST, 3/10). CBSSPORTS.com's Will Brinson listed the Redskins as one of his "losers" during the opening day of free agency. He wrote firing McCloughan is "not a bold move because it’s an insane move, canning a highly-talented individual" and then "pointing to his personal problems as a reason for doing so" (CBSSPORTS.com, 3/9).
HERE WE GO AGAIN: In Richmond, Michael Phillips writes it is "unlikely the Redskins will be able to move past this decision anytime soon," as McCloughan's departure "brings more questions than answers, and throws the organization back into chaotic waters right as it seemed to be taking a breath." Redskins DE Ricky Jean Francois said, "We're getting back to the normal. We're getting back to the dysfunctional. We're getting back to the drama" (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 3/10). THE MMQB's Albert Breer writes the Redskins are in part "reverting once more to being the dysfunctional organization we’ve all gotten to know over the past decade-and-a-half." The "shift in power" between Allen and McCloughan was a "major reason why McCloughan wound up sitting out the combine." Breer: "This time it wasn’t about ownership. It became McCloughan vs. Allen" (MMQB.SI.com, 3/10). ESPN's Mike Greenberg said, "We've got ourselves just an unbridled disaster going on right now in the front office in Washington" ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 3/10). USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell writes the Redskins are "giving us what we’ve come to expect." McCloughan had been "missing in action" before being fired, and Redskins QB Kirk Cousins on Thursday "requested a trade during a visit with Snyder." There is "another layer of drama" everyday with the team, and the Redskins "should come up with a new name for the team headquarters dubbed Redskin Park." Bell: "Just call the place Dysfunction Junction" (USA TODAY, 3/10). NFL Network's Silver: "The Redskins right now look like a team that has dysfunction. When you think about Kirk Cousins who ... doesn't want to play there, you can understand why” ("NFL Total Access," NFL Network, 3/9).
