Jay Gruden introduced as new head coach of the Washington Redskins

On Thursday, the Washington Redskins announced that they hired Jay Gruden to be the 29th head coach in the franchise's history.

Gruden’s was previously offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals, who were bounced from the playoffs last Sunday.

Gruden’s brother, Jon, currently an ESPN analyst, coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when they earned a 48-21 victory in Super Bowl XXXVII, and Jay was an assistant on that staff.

In addition to a good deal of coaching experience, Gruden also was a successful AFL quarterback and was a two-time team MVP at the position while attending the University of Louisville from 1985-88.

During his introductory press conference, one of the first things Gruden addressed was quarterback Robert Griffin III. If he is going to succeed in Washington, Gruden will need to forge a connection with Griffin and get him playing well.

"It has to be genuine," Gruden said. "He has to believe it. I'll let him know I'm a trustworthy guy.

"He also has to understand I expect a lot from the starting quarterback. I expect him to come in and prepare and work hard and I expect him to take the blame on some throws. I expect him to be a great leader. I expect him to do everything to be great. As long as he's working his butt off I will provide him everything he needs to be successful. If he doesn't like a play, I won't call a play. I will make sure he's comfortable with everything we're doing."

The coach brushed off the notion that Griffin is damaged goods after a subpar sophomore season.

"I see toughness," Gruden said. "I see a guy that wants to win and I see a strong leader. I see every trait a quarterback has to have to be successful. Why wouldn't you want to coach a guy like that? I'm excited to coach him. Hopefully he's excited to play here."

Although they haven’t spoken, Griffin seems ready and willing to give Gruden a chance.

[Washington Redskins] [ESPN]