Jay Gruden hired as head coach of the Redskins

[WillH]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Well it's the Redskins, so of course everything they do is a complete anomaly.

The NFL is a tight community, so of course people work with those they are familiar and comfortable with, or come recommended by those they know. Isn't this pretty much how the world works anyway??

This does happen in every field, but often is seen as a mistake. If you're an executive of a company and a sales position becomes open, could you really justify bringing in your buddy to fill the position without interviewing other candidates? Even if you have worked with them before, know that you get along, and know they are pretty good at sales it would be considered a mistake to not consider other candidates, and would likely raise a few eyebrows around the office (which itself could cause entirely new issues of trust and fairness etc.). The big problem is you could miss out on the opportunity to add a significantly more talented individual with a better sales record.

Common and intuitive though the practice may be, it is unprofessional, and potentially detrimental.

I'm not saying this is definitely what's happening here, and I'm not saying it will end in disaster, but if it is happening - good or bad outcome - it is not sound management.