McCloughan felt hated by Redskins' Allen before firing, says friend

Former general manager Scot McCloughan hasn't commented publicly since being fired from the Washington Redskins, but he broke his silence Wednesday to friend and NFL Network analyst Michael Robinson.

The former Seattle Seahawks fullback, who was signed by McCloughan in 2010, said on FOX Sports 910 on Thursday that McCloughan felt his dismissal was "a pride thing" for team president Bruce Allen, and that he could see the move coming after being banned from media relations.

"(McCloughan) knew the players loved him, and he started feeling the hate from Bruce Allen right around, well, he's been feeling it, but when they didn't let him speak (to reporters) at the Senior Bowl, he said to him that was his last straw, and he knew that he was on his way out," Robinson said, according to Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

"He said it was after a draft meeting, after the combine, Bruce called him up to his office and was just like, 'Nobody likes you in this building. Nobody wants you here.' And Scot was like, 'Well, I guess I'm out of here.'"

An official with direct knowledge of the situation told the Washington Post at the time that the reason for McCloughan's firing was a drinking problem, but he denied that to Robinson.

"He said, 'Mike, I don't have an issue right now drinking,'" Robinson said. "'I haven't touched a drink in a while. But of course they wouldn't let me say it because they silenced me.'"

Allen had a different account of the interactions recently, saying he and McCloughan were "on the same page" after the firing.

McCloughan spent two seasons as the Redskins' GM, helping them to a playoff appearance in 2015 and an 8-7-1 record last season.