After being eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday, the Washington Redskins' front office wasn't in the holiday spirit. The team cut ties with safety D.J. Swearinger on Monday, according to USA Today.
Swearinger broke the news himself, when he called into popular Washington D.C. sports radio show Grant & Danny. He was cut just days after he criticized defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, following his team's loss to the Tennessee Titans last week.
"We should have blowed them out," Swearinger said, according to ESPN. "If I'm the D-coordinator, I'm calling zone every time on third down because you got a backup quarterback. Make him beat us. We're playing a backup quarterback. Why would you put us in man to man? We are our best on defense when we look at the quarterback."
Upon hearing Swearinger's comments, Gruden's response alluded to the fact his player and assistant coach have been at odds long before D.J.'s comments.
"We had a discussion about him before and I thought we squashed it, but I guess not," Gruden said. "It’s happened with the same guy a couple times now, so it’s become redundant to me."
And with the team's playoff hopes shattered, Gruden looks to be creating a more cohesive looker room to avoid missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year next season.
Swearinger meanwhile, still had one year remaining on his contract and his 2019 base salary of 4.25M was not guaranteed.
