Washington has finally made official what many could see coming: Scot McCloughan has been fired as the team’s general manager. What’s interesting is that he reportedly was fired for having alcohol relapses.
The Washington Post reported on Thursday about McCloughan’s firing and quotes a team official as saying that the GM had multiple alcohol relapses.
“He’s had multiple relapses due to alcohol,” an official told the Post. “He showed up in the locker room drunk on multiple occasions. . . . This has been a disaster for 18 months.”
McCloughan’s alcohol addiction previously cost him jobs in San Francisco and Seattle. He had been in treatment since 2015 but did not hide that he continued to drink.
The writing was on the wall for this move. Over the past month there was tons of information pointing to McCloughan being pushed out. First he wasn’t allowed to speak with the media, then he wasn’t with the team at the NFL Combine. Washington continued to give excuses for the matters, but things have now crystallized and it’s clear Washington was dissatisfied with McCloughan.
What may have officially sealed his fate was a Washington Post article on Wednesday that painted McCloughan positively, likely because he anonymously provided information for the article. The article said McCloughan wanted to give Kirk Cousins a contract extension last year, which is something team president Bruce Allen has not been willing to do.
Allen issued this statement on the matter.
A statement from Redskins President Bruce Allen. pic.twitter.com/7GAEXOGIvQ
— Washington Redskins (@Redskins) March 10, 2017
The Post’s report may also vindicate Chris Cooley, a former player-turned-radio host who said on-air that McCloughan’s absence may be related to alcohol issues.
One thing to watch is whether or not McCloughan will file some sort of wrongful termination suit against the team over the firing. This report/quote about his alcohol issues could open Washington up to a potential lawsuit. Also consider that it was predicted a long time ago that the team could eventually use McCloughan’s alcohol issues as a reason to fire him:
Was told late in the season of jealousy up top and how they'd one day use McCloughan drinking as an excuse to can him. Exactly what happened
— Mike Jones (@MikeJonesWaPo) March 10, 2017
