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‘Skins scoop: Team president Bruce Allen defends Redskins’ culture after the team fires head coach Jay Gruden

Posted at 4:50 PM, Oct 07, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-07 16:50:14-04

ASHBURN, VA – JANUARY 04 2010: Washington Redskins General Manager Bruce Allen. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. – After on 0-5 start to the season, you’d think the Washington Redskins would be on their way to a major shift in culture. After all, they did just fire head coach Jay Gruden.

Related: Jay Gruden out as Washington Redskins head coach

But, team president Bruce Allen thinks the culture within the organization is just fine.

“The culture is actually damn good,” Allen said, referencing the 6-3 record that last season’s team had before quarterback Alex Smith went down as an example of culture’s success. “These people care. We have a very young core of players we’ve brought in here that are accustomed to winning. If you look at the record of these guys, they’re accustomed to winning, they want to win. In free agency, we brought Landon Collins. Great leader, great player, he wants to win.

LANDOVER, MD – OCTOBER 06: Colt McCoy #12 of the Washington Redskins is hit by Deatrich Wise #91 of the New England Patriots. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

“We’ve made too many mistakes on game day, but the effort, the effort of the players and the rest of the organization is fantastic. These players have the ability and we just have to execute.”

Execution has lacked for a majority of Allen’s tenure with the Redskins, as he’s now led the team to a 59-89-1 record.

“I don’t ever want to hide from our record, I don’t ever want to hide from things that didn’t go the way we wanted them to go and all we can do is work. Do I believe in the group that’s here? Yes.

“I promise you that I never thought of standing here midseason with a coaching change. We all have hopes and dreams, the same way the fans do and the players who are working out right now trying to get better. All we can do is try to improve tomorrow.”

Offensive line coach Bill Callahan has taken over the team as interim head coach as the team prepares for an away matchup against Miami this Sunday.