Jon Gruden is no stranger to the NFL. He has been a known figure in the sport for the past two decades. Most recently, he was given a massive ten-year contract to coach the Las Vegas Raiders but resigned after sexist, racist, and anti-gay emails sent by Gruden were leaked. That hasn’t kept him out of the public eye. He went viral for his TikTok videos breaking down football and was recently hired by Barstool as an analyst. While it seemed unlikely three years ago when he resigned from coaching, reports indicate the former Raiders and Buccaneers coach could be a “hot” coaching candidate this offseason.
Jon Gruden Getting Some Buzz
It hasn’t been just one report. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on Good Morning Football that “multiple teams” have given Jon Gruden a look. AJ Perez of Front Office Sports followed that up with a report that “Gruden is expected to be one of the ‘hot’ candidates among teams looking for a new head coach.” This comes as a surprise, given the relationship Gruden has with the NFL. After he resigned, he sued the league, claiming they had intentionally leaked the emails to target him.
Given the nature of the leaked emails, many wondered whether he would ever find another coaching job in the NFL. Any team that hires him would undoubtedly be under fire from many fans. However, according to Perez, this isn’t having the impact many thought it would. Teams are still giving him a serious look. He does have a Super Bowl win under his belt and has a track record of success in the past, albeit not in the recent past. Which team would be the best fit for Jon Gruden?
Best Fits
The Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, and New York Jets are the teams that already have a vacancy at head coach. Monday is the first day after the end of the season, which is historically when many other coaches are fired. Usually, anywhere from four to six teams have openings. The Saints and the Jets are in tricky spots. New Orleans has a salary cap situation that is the stuff of nightmares if you are a general manager. The Jets have roster questions and stars who are openly voicing their displeasure with the team. While Jon Gruden could come in and reset the culture, it seems more likely he would go to a place with some better-established pieces.
This makes the Chicago Bears an interesting target for Jon Gruden. Caleb Williams hasn’t been perfect, but he has shown enough to make many believe he can be a quality starter in this league. Gruden made a name for himself developing quarterbacks. Furthermore, Chicago has quality young pieces on both sides of the ball. With some tweaking this offseason and better coaching, this roster could easily be a playoff team.
Final Thoughts
It will be interesting to see whether any of the interest is actually legit or whether this is all smoke. Jon Gruden had success twenty years ago but hasn’t done anything since. In this most recent stint with the Raiders, he went 22-31 and failed to produce a winning season. However, owners often use past success in order to make decisions. This has landed many coaches new jobs. The Jets interviewed Ron Rivera, and he has been fired from two teams. He also made a Super Bowl appearance and won Coach of the Year twice.
The question teams will have to ask is whether the circus around Gruden will be worth it. Many of these teams are desperate to make a splash, and this hire certainly would do that. The NFL season is almost over for half the league, and the offseason decisions will now have to be made.
