Redskins cut ties with D J Swearinger. (Article)

[www.espn.com]

John Keim

Swearinger said coach Jay Gruden told him he was released in a brief meeting Monday morning.

The team announced that Swearinger was waived later Monday.

"He just said it was the third time I've been in his office and we're going to release you," Swearinger told co-host Grant Paulsen. "And that was that.

"I don't have words for this. I had a Pro Bowl year. I was a captain in year one, and this year I thought I improved on everything and I did a slap in the face and get released. I gave it my all and put my heart into it every single week to the best I could. I guess it says a lot about the organization."

"Different strokes for different folks," Swearinger said. "That's been my whole life. Different strokes for different folks. At the end of the day you got to keep grinding first and stay true to who you are and never let no one bring you down, no matter what the circumstances may be."

Swearinger said on the radio that Gruden agreed with wanting to run different coverages at times.

"You tell us you want to run it, well you're the head coach," Swearinger said. "We want to run it too because we want to make plays. ... That's the type of organization we was in."

Swearinger also said after the game that he probably watched more film than the coaches. He told 106.7 The Fan that he often texted coaches, including Manusky around 1 a.m. or so while watching film, pointing out strategies he felt could work. And, Swearinger told the show, Manusky told him two weeks ago that he wanted him on his staff when he was done playing.

Swearinger was voted a captain last season, but said coaches didn't want him as one this season. He said he was in a three-way tie to be a captain, but coaches opted for others.

"It's not rocket science why I wasn't captain," Swearinger told the show. "I'm a vocal guy, passionate guy that wants to win. If the coaches feel I'm too smart or a weapon as far as my smarts are concerned ... they got to release the guy that has knowledge or has respect in the locker room I guess."

But Swearinger said he's at peace.

"I was shocked. But I'm peaceful, because at the end of the day, I gave my heart and full effort into trying to help the team win," he said. "That's all I can ask for. That's how I was taught and brought up, whatever you do, do wholeheartedly so you don't regret it. I did everything wholeheartedly. I don't regret nothing."

Swearinger was named an alternate to the Pro Bowl and joked on the radio that he'd wear his South Carolina Gamecocks helmet if he ended up playing in the game.

He could be signed by another team this week.

After being released, Swearinger said he told his defensive back teammates to "keep grinding."

One teammate, defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, tweeted, "Greg manuski called a great game" after the Redskins arrived home after Saturday's loss and Swearinger's subsequent comments.

"I've been in this game a long time and seen a lot of things," Swearinger said. "It's a different mindset when talking about a defensive back who's been in the game a while and a D-lineman that hasn't been in the game a while. He's a young player, doesn't really know about the calls in the back end. He said the right thing.

"Jonathan Allen had a great game; why wouldn't he say that after a great game? But he doesn't play in coverage and he never knows what's going on in the back end. I'm taking up for my players and guys going out to war with me. ... All the guys in the back end who feel the same about how we play defense. That's all it is."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/24/2018 08:00PM by Rams43.