Jay Gruden knows what it’s like to be in limbo. After the 2018 season, the former Washington football coach conducted his end-of-the-year press conference, but there was one problem: Gruden hadn’t been told yet if he’d be allowed to return for another year.
“I really don’t know why I’m up here, to be honest with you,” Gruden said from the lectern.
Washington waited four days before Gruden was officially notified that his job was safe for 2019. The reality, however, was that the wait turned out to be an ominous sign — The team fired Gruden just five games into the following season after an 0-5 start.