Washington cuts D.J. Swearinger after repeated criticism of coaching staff
It’s not often you hear players publicly criticize their coaches, but Washington Redskins safety D.J. Swearinger has not had problems doing that this season.
And now it’s cost him his job.
Called into the office and cut
During a Monday appearance on D.C.-area station 106.7 The Fan, Swearinger announced that coach Jay Gruden called him into his office on Monday morning and told Swearinger he was being released.
Host Grant Paulsen: Jay Gruden said he was going to speak with you today. Has he spoken with you?
Swearinger: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Paulsen: And how’d the meeting go?
Swearinger: I was released.
Paulsen: You were released by the Redskins…you’re kidding!
Swearinger: Nah, I’m not kidding at all, bossman.
Swearinger, a veteran safety who was named an NFC Pro Bowl alternate, will be subjected to waivers and any team can claim him; playoff-bound teams could add a smart, talented back-end player for $176,470, or the final 17th of his $3 million salary. His 2019 salary is $4.25 million.
Swearinger started all 15 games for Washington this season, and was on the field for all but one defensive snap in those games. He had four interceptions and 10 pass break-ups, both team bests, and three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a sack.
As noted by retired NASCAR star and Washington fan Dale Earnhardt Jr., it’s certainly interesting optics that the team claimed and has kept Reuben Foster, who’s been accused of domestic violence multiple times, but released Swearinger for being critical of coaches.
‘Horrible’ play call
After Washington’s 26-15 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Saturday, a game that saw Titans backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert play the entire second half due to an injury to Marcus Mariota late in the first half, Swearinger once again was critical of defensive coordinator Greg Manusky.
Swearinger focused on Manusky’s play-calling during Tennessee’s go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter, particularly the decision for the defense to be in man coverage on a third-and-7 play that resulted in cornerback Fabian Moreau being flagged for holding.
The 27-year-old called the play-call “horrible.”
“In that type of situation, you got a backup quarterback, I wouldn’t call man-to-man to make it easy for him,” Swearinger said. “[Gabbert] hadn’t practiced all week. So, disguise a zone and let him throw the ball right to us. We didn’t make the plays we needed to, but when it’s crunch time, put us somewhere where we can make a play. Don’t put us in man-to-man where it’s easy for the quarterback. It’s too easy for the quarterback.”
It wasn’t the first time this season Swearinger had been critical of Manusky and the other coaches.
In a Sunday conference call with media, Gruden expressed disappointment that Swearinger had once again aired team business in the public sphere, nothing that he’d told the player previously to keep those things in-house.
On Monday, Gruden sent a text to Washington Post reporter Kareem Copeland: “We just thought it was best for both parties” he wrote of the move.
Swearinger posted a photo on Twitter of himself in a red and black ensemble, his head cocked to the side and wrote, “#Mood Live Learn Love!! That’s Life!! Love You All!
#Mood Live Learn Love!! That’s Life!! Love You All!! pic.twitter.com/NjChoPAslc
— DJ Swearinger (@JungleBoi_Swagg) December 24, 2018
Criticism didn’t end
Swearinger ended up talking to the 106.7 The Fan hosts for a half-hour, and not surprisingly spilled a bit more tea on what’s happening in Washington, at least from his perspective.
For one thing, he said Gruden’s practices aren’t difficult.
“I know the formula that Bruce Arians had [in Arizona]; it was a successful formula. We practiced 10 times harder than we did here,” Swearinger said. “It’s kind of crazy that a player that comes here from another team is like, man, this is so laid back.
“I guess that’s the formula that this team has. You know, it would be less of a man of me to scoop down to the mediocre when I’m not a mediocre guy. I don’t like practicing mediocre, I don’t like preparing mediocre, and I guess that’s the thing that hurt me and got me released, but if that’s the type of man that I am, that won’t accept mediocre, then I can live with that. I can live with being released and wanting to win and wanting to be a winner.”
Swearinger also intimated that his teammates elected him as a captain for this year, as they had last year, but that Gruden stepped in to change things (this would not be unprecedented among NFL coaches).
“Man, you know, I guess that’s a question that you’ll have to ask Jay Gruden,” he said when asked why he wasn’t a captain again. “I was voted captain by the players, and I have proof from some of my teammates, but that’s another conversation.”
Not the first time Swearinger has been cut
While Swearinger is talented, he’s now been on four teams in his first six NFL seasons. Drafted 57th overall by the Houston Texans in 2013, he spent two seasons with the Texans, playing in all 32 games with 22 starts. But he was released in May 2015, reportedly when the Texans couldn’t find a trade partner for Swearinger.
Claimed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he played seven games as a reserve before he was again waived in November. Unclaimed, Swearinger was signed to the Arizona Cardinals practice squad two weeks later.
He was promoted to the active roster in December that year after Tyrann Mathieu suffered a season-ending injury.
In 2016, Swearinger played in all 16 games, with 12 starts. His play earned him a three-year, $13.5 million contract in 2017, with $6 million fully guaranteed.
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