The Washington Redskins hired Mike Shanahan as head coach awarding him a five year contract reportedly worth more than $7 million a year. He is also being given the position of executive vice president with responsibility for all final personnel moves on the field. Along with the recent hiring of Bruce Allen as executive vice president and general manager, the leadership team of the Redskins has been rebuilt to turn around an organization that has been in decline for most of the past decade. Shanahan represents the 7th coach hired since Daniel Snyder purchased the team from the Cooke family eleven years ago. When Jack Kent Cooke owned the team, the Redskins organization, particularly with Hall-of- Famer, Joe Gibbs as head coach was the model for franchise stability and excellence.
Now Mike Shanahan will be expected to do what Joe Gibbs could not do when he returned to the Daniel Snyder Redskins from 2004-2007 and make the Washington Redskins a solid, consistent winning organization. Since Daniel Snyder owned the team beginning with the 1999 season, they were winners their first year at 10 wins and 6 losses. Since then, their only winning seasons were with Joe Gibbs, 2005 at 10-6 and 2007 at 9-7. With an eleven year history, of averaging a 7-9 record and 3rd place finish, the team has become the symbol of mediocrity on the field, but Daniel Snyder’s conduct as owner has fashioned an uglier picture of the team.
Thanks to his meddlesome style throwing money around to land high ticket players while neglecting the constrains of the salary cap system, the Redskins became a team way out of balance with under performing superstars at some positions and unproven journeymen playing for around the minimum elsewhere, add to that the revolving door at head coach with only a sign of stability restored with Joe Gibbs, Shanahan will have a tough situation to put into shape.
Shanahan’s reputation is as a superior offensive coach and was given much credit for helping John Elway excel. The one plus the Redskins have is a pretty solid defense, thus the teams needs play into Shanahan’s strengths. If he, in fact, has control over personnel moves and the owner keeps at a distance, he will have the opportunity to prove his ability to make the Redskins once again play as worthy competitors along side their division rivals: the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and New York Giants.
The job starts immediately. There is much to unravel and key decisions to be made. Capital area fans will have little patience as the glory days are long gone and expectations remain high.
Now Mike Shanahan will be expected to do what Joe Gibbs could not do when he returned to the Daniel Snyder Redskins from 2004-2007 and make the Washington Redskins a solid, consistent winning organization. Since Daniel Snyder owned the team beginning with the 1999 season, they were winners their first year at 10 wins and 6 losses. Since then, their only winning seasons were with Joe Gibbs, 2005 at 10-6 and 2007 at 9-7. With an eleven year history, of averaging a 7-9 record and 3rd place finish, the team has become the symbol of mediocrity on the field, but Daniel Snyder’s conduct as owner has fashioned an uglier picture of the team.
Thanks to his meddlesome style throwing money around to land high ticket players while neglecting the constrains of the salary cap system, the Redskins became a team way out of balance with under performing superstars at some positions and unproven journeymen playing for around the minimum elsewhere, add to that the revolving door at head coach with only a sign of stability restored with Joe Gibbs, Shanahan will have a tough situation to put into shape.
Shanahan’s reputation is as a superior offensive coach and was given much credit for helping John Elway excel. The one plus the Redskins have is a pretty solid defense, thus the teams needs play into Shanahan’s strengths. If he, in fact, has control over personnel moves and the owner keeps at a distance, he will have the opportunity to prove his ability to make the Redskins once again play as worthy competitors along side their division rivals: the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and New York Giants.
The job starts immediately. There is much to unravel and key decisions to be made. Capital area fans will have little patience as the glory days are long gone and expectations remain high.
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