Jay Gruden Reportedly Informed He Will Return as Redskins Coach in 2019

Timothy RappJan 4, 2019

Jay Gruden was reportedly informed he'll return to Washington's sideline as head coach for the 2019 NFL season.

JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington reported the update Friday.

The 51-year-old Gruden, who has gone 35-44-1 in five seasons with Washington, has had limited success in the nation's capital.

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His tenure started out with a rough patch. The team went 4-12 in 2014, though he responded in 2015 by leading his squad to a 9-7 record and a postseason berth. That stands as Washington's lone appearance in the playoffs under Gruden, however. The team went 15-16-1 between the 2016-17 campaigns.

Under Gruden, Washington has just two winning streaks of three games or more: four consecutive victories in 2015 and 2016.

This past campaign, the team went 7-9, once again mired in mediocrity, though the 2018 season did present its fair share of difficulties.

Gone was quarterback Kirk Cousins, who signed with the Minnesota Vikings as a free agent. In came Alex Smith, a solid veteran but a less dynamic passer. Rookie Derrius Guice, who was expected to hold down the running back position, was lost for the season with a torn ACL. The wide receivers continued to be a major weakness, with running back Chris Thompson and tight end Jordan Reed serving as two of the top three options in the passing game.

Smith himself suffered a gruesome leg injury in November, ending his campaign, and his backup, Colt McCoy, broke his leg just weeks later.

The defense has mostly been solid, but the offense's inconsistency has plagued the tenure of Gruden, who made his name as an offensive mind and calls the plays in Washington. Offensive mediocrity is a trend: The team only finished top-10 in yards per game once (No. 3 overall in 2016) and top-10 in points per contest one time (No. 10 in 2015).

However, owner Daniel Snyder and team president Bruce Allen have given Gruden at least one more year. Perhaps Gruden can turn around the team in 2019, but another tough season could seal his fate.