Former NFL head coach and current ESPN personality Jon Gruden recently gave a lengthy interview to Scott Reynolds of PewterReport.com, and in that interview, he said he was preparing to return to the sidelines as a head coach.
Gruden said, “I’ve met with several people – I won’t deny that. People – just about every year I talk about coming back to coach. I’m not in here every day at 4:30 or 4:00 in the morning watching pinball. You know? I’m preparing myself to come back. I am. Every day. I’m preparing to come back.”
Indeed, Gruden is connected to some head coaching vacancy or another seemingly every offseason. This past year, he was reportedly the “focal point” of the Rams’ search for a new HC, and the Colts also reportedly made overtures to him. He said in December, however, that he has “no intention” of coaching, which of course seems to conflict with what he told PewterReport several days ago.
But as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes, preparing to come back, which is what Gruden told PewterReport he was doing, and wanting to come back are two very different things. It could be that he is preparing for a new gig in case the right opportunity should fall in his lap, but that does not necessarily mean he will actively pursue such an opportunity. Indeed, although the Colts have their warts, it is difficult to imagine a better head coaching situation opening up in the near future, and if Gruden did not want that job, it seems as if he really is content doing television work. As Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times writes, Gruden has expressed an interest in returning before, but that interest was always framed in a context of still enjoying his work as a TV analyst.
Gruden served as the Raiders’ head coach from 1998-2001 and the Buccaneers’ head coach from 2002-2008. He has compiled a 100-85 career record (including a 5-4 postseason mark), and he led the Bucs to their only Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl XXXVII, knocking off Oakland in the process.
Anything to get him out of the broadcast booth.
He is forming an “insurance policy” after watching the blood bath of layoffs by ESPN this offseason. ESPN blows my mind how badly managed they have become under Disney leadership. Mind-boggling really.
Signed Trent Dilfer
I don’t think it’s really Disney’s guidance. ESPN was already trending in the wrong direction of being nearly nothing but hot takes. There’s no substance to be found there anymore.
Put money on it. Colts don’t meet expectations this year, fire the coaching staff and hire Gruden. If not Gruden they’ll tsk Harbaugh into coming back to the NFL and they’ll hire him. Just hVena gut feeling. I do think Gruden coaches next year through.
Belichick has to retire sometime
“We hope so!”
-Jets fan