Last week, Washington president Bruce Allen said G.M. Scot McCloughan will be back. On Tuesday, PFT pointed out that he may not be.
Now, the Washington Post reports the McCloughan won’t return.
Liz Clarke and Mike Jones of the Post write that “it has become clear that [McCloughan’s] departure from the team is inevitable,” citing multiple unnamed sources with knowledge of the situation.
McCloughan, per the report, has become “increasingly frustrated by ongoing frictions” with Allen regarding personnel moves. McCloughan also was miffed by the failure of the organization to defend him after team employee Chris Cooley suggested that McCloughan, who has a history of alcohol issues, may be drinking again.
Clarke and Jones report that players and team employees “have received indications” that McCloughan won’t be back. For now, the team apparently is trying to decide how to part ways with him.
McCloughan is under contract for two more years. Owner Daniel Snyder could try to terminate McCloughan for cause, blocking any obligation for ongoing payments. Looming over the entire situation are federal and state labor laws that protect employees against disability discrimination arising from actual or perceived alcoholism.
It’s not known what Washington will do to resolve this situation. As with plenty of other decisions the team has made in recent days and weeks, however, it could be safe to assume that the front office will eventually find a way to bungle it.