Tannenbaum will receive the remaining salary for the two years he had left on his contractGETTY IMAGES
In Miami, Armando Salguero cited a source as saying that former Dolphins Exec VP/Football Operations & GM Mike Tannenbaum, who the team on Monday announced had been reassigned, "asked for and received something of a quiet sendoff." He will "not be working for the team again," but Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross will "continue to pay Tannenbaum’s salary for another two years because that’s the amount of time remaining on his contract." The move "had been in the offing for several weeks," but the firing of coach Adam Gase was "another matter altogether." It is "clear there were awkward moments and even sometimes friction" between Gase and Ross. Gase sometimes was "stunned and even annoyed by Ross’ ideas that often didn’t make a ton of sense to him" (MIAMI HERALD, 1/3).
GROWING UNREST IN DC: In DC, Scott Allen writes the silence from Redskins Owner Dan Snyder "regarding the job status of Jay Gruden, his coaching staff and what remains of the front office after last month’s shake-up to the business operations department has been deafening." However, the "cries from disgruntled Redskins fans advocating for one specific change to the team’s leadership structure have only grown louder," as the #FireBruceAllen hashtag has become more popular on social media. Allen, whom "many fans hold most responsible for the Redskins' current predicament, remained as team president" after the business operation firings. #FireBruceAllen "first emerged as a popular hashtag" in '14, but it has "never been as prevalent as it is right now" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/4).
TOO MUCH POWER? In Atlanta, Michael Cunningham writes the Falcons are built in the image of coach Dan Quinn, as his "voice and direction matter more than any other," including GM Thomas Dimitroff. Yet Quinn "stays while his coordinators go." That means Falcons Owner Arthur Blank is "counting on the same voice and direction producing better results." Cunningham: "That makes me wonder how Blank evaluates the football operations overall and his head coach specifically." There is "no football executive senior to Quinn that Blank can rely on for an evaluation of the coach’s methods." Blank could "ask the four ex-GMs in the building, but good luck getting honest answers about their boss on the football side" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 1/4).
LES IS MORE: In L.A., Bill Plaschke notes Rams GM Les Snead in just two seasons has remodeled the team "from four wins into 13, from laughingstocks to legitimate title contenders." For "all their star power," the Rams have "won on the backs of shadows, and it is in those shadows that Snead has shined." He has "discovered lesser-known players who have become impact players." Snead has "acquired marginalized veterans and watched them become relevant again." Snead was also "instrumental in the hiring that made all of this work, taking a huge chance" in hiring then-30-year-old Sean McVay prior to '17 (L.A. TIMES, 1/4).
