It happened. It actually happened.
Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder put out a statement early on Monday morning that team president Bruce Allen had been relieved of his duties and would no longer be with the franchise.
Despite years of mediocrity from the franchise, it’s a stunning turn of events. Even yesterday, when word was going around that Allen’s time with the franchise was limited, people still believed he would remain with the organization in some capacity, even if not directly tied to football. If the statement is to be believed, this is it. Allen is done.
For Washington fans, this is a day they’ve waited for a long time.
Allen has earned the ire of Washington fans for his part in the building of what has largely been reported as a toxic situation inside the franchise. Coaches came and went. Players accused the team of mismanagement, of mishandling (potentially life-threatening) injuries.
The fanbase, once of the most rabid in the entire league, grew indifferent. The team ceded ground to the Capitals, and the Nationals. FedEx Stadium sat empty on Sunday after Sunday.
And through it all, somehow, Allen kept his job.
That’s finally over, and here’s hoping that Snyder can now bring in someone who can reverse the toxicity that permeated the place for years and years.
He’s making a good start by reportedly hiring Ron Rivera, someone who may not be a transcendent tactical mind but has shown he can build a solid franchise and run things professionally. For Washington, that’s what they need right now. They gotta crawl before they can walk.
After that, a competent GM and someone who isn’t just going to be a Yes Man has to be the first order of business. Allen reportedly built himself up in the organization by keeping Snyder close and happy, and turning on anyone else in the organization who threatened his power.
Snyder needs to find someone who can build an entirely new culture with that team, and has to have the confidence to let that person do his or her thing. We’ll see if that’s possible, but the first step happened. Allen is gone.
