Redskins players offer grim outlook after team fires Jay Gruden

The Washington Redskins fired Jay Gruden on Monday morning and announced a press conference for 1 p.m. ET.

Players didn’t need long after to react.

One player told ESPN’s Dianna Russini the following: “If they think this will make us better this season, it won’t.” Another said “someone had to take the blame” for the team’s slow start.

ESPN’s Josina Anderson caught up with a player who added an evaluation of the situation: “It was time. Too much laziness & stubborn (expletive) going on around here. Folks not taking (expletive) serious. Looking at snap chat during practice, come on now. You know who I’m talking about. Guys were talking about it. We’ll see how it goes.”

And this:

Another #Skins player checks in: "Gruden is a good dude, but you can tell he saw the writing on the wall though. Players like him, it just got a little too laid back here lately & sometimes that can bite you in the butt. I've seen some things here I've never seen on other teams."

— ig: josinaanderson (@JosinaAnderson) October 7, 2019

The small sample size of reactions doesn’t come as a shock after the 0-5 start, which included quarterback and running back controversies and losses including margins of 31-15, 24-3 and 33-7.

Bill Callahan, interim coach, is something of an old school, respected force in coaching who can presumably start to correct the culture ship. That doesn’t necessarily mean winning many games, but it’s clear at least a small portion of players were ready for change.