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SPORTS Tuesday 8 OcTOber 2019
Jay Gruden fired by Redskins after 0-5 start to 6th season

By HOWARD FENDRICH and win."
STEPHEN WHYNO The Redskins haven't won
AP Sports Writers much lately, going 35-49-1
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — overall under Gruden with
Owner Dan Snyder and one playoff appearance
President Bruce Allen sum- in the 2015 season. A pop-
moned coach Jay Gruden ular coach among play-
to the Washington Redskins' ers and a smart offensive
facility before dawn Mon- mind, Gruden struggled in
day to tell him he was be- preparing his teams: Wash-
ing fired. "It was a brief con- ington went 1-5 in season
versation," Allen said. openers and lost a win-
Now comes a longer con- and-get-in game in Week
versation about the status 17 in 2016 against the New
of the floundering franchise York Giants, who had noth-
that has won just two play- ing to play for.
off games in Snyder's two Despite never before being
decades of ownership and a head coach in the NFL,
zero during Allen's tenure. and despite never winning
Gruden is out after an 0-5 more than nine games in a
start to his sixth season and season, Gruden managed
is the latest in a long line of to stick around longer than
Redskins coaches to take anyone else who's held
the fall for significant orga- that job during Snyder's un-
nizational shortcomings. successful stint as owner. In this Sept. 29, 2019, file photo, Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden watches the game
against the New York Giants during the second half of an NFL football game, in East Rutherford,
"To make a decision like this Asked why Snyder wasn't N.J. The Giants defeated the Redskins 24-3.
is difficult, but it was nec- addressing fans, Allen said, Associated Press
essary," Allen said during "Because I am." Snyder was
a 13-minute news confer- not made available to re- becomes the seventh after coach in Jay and then to of injuries up and down the
ence. "Our 0-5 start is not porters Monday. he was selected to replace be asked to lead a pro- roster; and, perhaps most
just disappointing. We had None of the six coaches Gruden on an interim basis. gram now in Week 6, it's un- upsetting to team lead-
much different expecta- hired since Snyder bought Callahan has coached the charted waters for me." ership, increasingly large
tions for the beginning the team has a winning Raiders in the NFL and Ne- This season alone has seen contingents of visiting fans
of the season. We owe it record, including Hall of braska in college football. star left tackle Trent Wil- attending games at Wash-
to our fans, ... the orga- Famer Joe Gibbs and two- "This is different territory for liams hold out; a shuffle at ington's home stadium.
nization, the players, the time Super Bowl champion me," Callahan said. "It's bit- quarterback after Dwayne "All we can do is try to im-
coaches and their families Mike Shanahan. Offensive tersweet in a lot of ways. I Haskins was taken No. 15 prove our product," Allen
to do everything we can to line coach Bill Callahan had to replace a veteran overall in the draft; a series said. q
Former champ Mike Tyson takes a swing at MMA coverage

By DAN GELSTON vertisement. We can take He hopes fans will tune in as
AP Sports Writer these fighters and publicize he transitions to the PFL.
Mike Tyson is ready to talk these fighters properly. We "I really want to get into
your ears off about MMA. can take all the fighters the essence of what peo-
The former heavyweight from all over the planet, ple are really about," Ty-
champion is set to join and all the techniques and son said. "You really never
the Professional Fight- all the disciplines and put know a person until you get
ers League as host of the them in one tournament there and talk to him. You
new series "Mike Tyson's and find out who really is have to make him comfort-
New Fight Game: The PFL," the baddest (fighter) on able when he's uncomfort-
which will debut this week the planet that ever lived." able. That's when you re-
on the league's YouTube The PFL is a tournament- ally get into the essence of
channel and other digital based organization that people."
platforms before the play- kicks off the playoffs this The league was formed in
offs start Friday. week. PFL playoffs are held In this Aug. 2, 2019, file photo, Mike Tyson attends a celebrity 2017 when a group of in-
Tyson will conduct inter- over three nights in Oc- golf tournament in Dana Point, Calif. vestors turned what was
views with fighters, and tober: Friday's fights are Associated Press the World Series of Fighting
musicians, entertainers and headlined by women's 155 into the tournament-style
other famous fans of mixed pounds and welterweights; stealing stint in "The Hang- Evander Holyfield (whom PFL. Kayla Harrison, a two-
martial arts. Tyson will be Oct. 17 features feather- over ." He voiced himself in he bit twice during their in- time Olympic gold medalist
joined on "Fight Game" by weights and lightweights; an animated show on the famous 1997 fight): "I want , has emerged as the star
co-host Sean O'Connell, and Oct. 31 has light heavy- Cartoon Network and even your heart! I want to eat of the league and is set to
PFL ESPN play-by-play an- weights and heavyweights. starred in a one-man show his children!" Or this one on face Genah Fabian in her
nouncer and PFL 2018 light Each male fighter must on Broadway . He hosted a his own persona: "I comes semifinal match Friday. The
heavyweight champion. fight twice and win twice podcast and founded his across as crass, a Nean- winner advances to the
"We can take this to anoth- that night to advance to own cannabis company. derthal, a babbling idiot championship.
er dimension," Tyson told the championship finals. Tyson has long been ant sometimes. I like to show Tyson, who has also invest-
The Associated Press. "We Tyson can add TV host to uncensored, unfiltered you that person. I like that ed in PFL, singled out Harri-
can brand it the proper an entertainment tableau athlete who has unload- person. He makes you want son as the kind of fighter he
way. Give it the proper ad- highlighted by a scene- ed quotes like this one on to come and listen to me." wants to hype.q