Jim

Haslett

Haslett’s position was a carousel for the Titans in 2021, as Jayon Brown and Rashaan Evans were both healthy scratches at times down the stretch after Tennessee claimed Zach Cunningham on waivers. The former HC will head to the free agency pool. Haslett hasn’t been an NFL DC since 2014, this was his second year coaching Titans inside linebackers after three years with the Bengals in the same position.

Haslett spent last year out of the league following a three-year stint as Cincinnati’s LBs coach under Marvin Lewis. A former linebacker himself, Haslett boasts 24 years of NFL coaching experience including a six-year stint as New Orleans’ head coach from 2000-05. He inherits a strong Tennessee linebacking corps.

As expected. However, we’re not sure what Haslett has done to earn the job. His defenses in Washington have mostly been atrocious since he was hired in 2010 -- finishing 31st in total yards his first season, 13th in 2011, 28th in 2012, and 18th in 2013. The Redskins surrendered the second-most points (478) this past season. Haslett has one year left on his current contract.

Fired were Mike and Kyle Shanahan, directors of the NFL’s No. 9 offense, while retained is Haslett, overseer of the league’s No. 30 defense in points allowed. It’s illogical to be kind, but so is reality in owner Dan Snyder’s dysfunctional organization. Haslett’s defenses have more-or-less been sieves throughout his D.C. tenure. Major improvement seems unlikely for the 2014 Redskins.

Aside from a 2009 gig as the UFL’s Florida Tuskers’ head coach, it’s the first time Haslett hasn’t had an NFL job since coaching something called the Sacramento Surge in 1992. Haslett ran the Redskins defense from 2010-2014 before finally getting canned in December. His units were annually horrific in D.C.

Haslett, 60, was fired as the Redskins’ defensive coordinator after the 2014 season and joined Penn State as a consultant this past year. Prior to rising up the ranks as a DC and head coach, Haslett coached linebackers for the Raiders and Saints from 1993-1995. He has plenty of talent in Cincinnati.

It was announced as a “mutual decision to part ways,” but we all know the Redskins canned Haslett. It’s been a long time coming, too. How Haslett managed to stay on staff for five seasons, while trotting out beyond-horrible defenses is anybody’s guess. We were starting to thinking he had naughty pictures of owner Dan Snyder or GM Bruce Allen. Anyway, he’s finally gone. The Redskins’ finishes in total yards under Haslett: 31st, 13th, 28th, 18th, and 20th. That actually paints a rosier picture than the units played on the field.