The worst kept secret in football is about to go public. The Raiders will name Jon Gruden as their head coach in a press conference on Tuesday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The news was first reported by author Steve Corkran (Twitter link). 
Recently, Gruden admitted there is a “good chance” that he’ll become the next coach of the Raiders. However, he denied reports indicating that he will wind up with a piece of team ownership as part of the deal. Even without minority ownership, this is a colossal deal for Gruden. It’s a ten-year contract likely to be worth about $100MM, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The sum of Gruden’s contract is jaw-dropping, but he provides a great deal of value to the Raiders outside of football. His presence will keep the fanbase in Oakland engaged for the next two years before the move to Las Vegas. Once they arrive in Nevada, Gruden’s popularity could boost ticket sales and the value of local media rights packages.
From a football perspective, Gruden offers familiarity with team ownership and a winning pedigree. It’s also an opportunity for the Raiders to rewrite history. Under Gruden, the Raiders reached the playoffs twice, ascending to the AFC Championship game in the 2000 season before their heartbreaking loss to the Patriots in the following year. In 2002, the Raiders traded Gruden to the Buccaneers for a whopping package that included two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and $8MM in cash. That season, of course, gave us the Gruden Bowl. Gruden’s Bucs blew the doors off of the Raiders and won by a score of 48-21.
One can’t help but wonder how the late Al Davis would feel about all of this. The Raiders owner always had a pension for defying popular thought, but his reluctance to dole out exorbitant salaries to coaches is what led to Gruden’s departure in the first place. Fifteen years later, Gruden is back in Oakland with a record-breaking contract.
Unlike the Cardinals, Bears, Lions, Colts, and Giants, the Raiders did not cast a wide net in their coaching search. This week, the team interviewed incumbent tight ends coach Bobby Johnson and met with one other unknown candidate to fulfill the Rooney Rule. With that obligation out of the way, the Raiders are set to announce the signing of the only coach they were ever interested in hiring.
Already, Gruden’s staff is taking shape. The Raiders will hire Rams quarterbacks coach Greg Olson as their offensive coordinator and former Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther as their new DC, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). And, as previously reported, special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia will be moving from Dallas to Oakland.
The deals for each coordinator will be four years in length, giving them two years in Oakland and two years in Las Vegas, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The deals will also be backloaded in order to capitalize on the absence of state income taxes in Nevada, Michael Gehlken of the Journal-Review tweets.
Oh geez. What a clown show
how so
Gruden hasn’t coached in 10yrs and even when he did he wasn’t an amazing talent.
and? it’s not like he hasn’t been out of the game since then. He’s been watching film analyzing players, schemes, and talent ever since. He’s not just a mouthpiece on your TV screen you know. He actually studies the game of football.
That’s really dumb. You don’t see a difference between a tv commentator & a head football coach?
You don’t see that this tv commentator literally IS and WAS a head football coach? That’s really dumb.
Over 10 years ago!!!! Man, you’re dumb. You think watching a game in a color commentator potion has any semblance of compatibility to being a full time head coach of a team? Seriously?!?! Then, Even when he coached he wasn’t great. He won a SB with an all time type defense and never made it back to the post season again!! This is the dumbest hire of the year and will be for years to come.
And you’re a HoF caliber stupid commenter!!!
Thanks big dog, it’s cool that simply disagreeing with you puts people in the HoF of stupidity. Your opinions are the most important thing in the world man!! Sorry I doubted you, you’re obviously right!! Him studying the game and literally coaching QBs who are in the league now, and him having access to game film from every single game will definitely not have any impact on increasing his ability to coach. You’re a joke, you made the HoF when you said can you see the difference in a head coach and a tv commentator. Can you see the difference in a president and a business man? Because I’m pretty sure Donald Trump is both. Can you see a difference in a football player and a social justice leader? Because Colin Kaepernick is both. Can you see the difference in someone who’s stupid and who’s name is qbass187? Because you’re both
Nice post, wanted to rip into this guy but you said it all!
@yoyo
Go man go! Boy you ripped him a new one!
Oh qbass … yoyo just REAMED you a new one! He bent you over and stuck it right in your rear end with no lubrication!
you do realize that a color commentator just didn’t sit and watch the game and talk about what they see right? there does take some actual studying and working and knowledge of the game. Plus, it’s not like he’s playing. He knows how to coach and he’s evolved with the game. By not just “watching” the game but studying the game and talking with those involved. Getting in the heads of the playmakers and decision makers to see what they’ve done to be successful. Stop living in the past of 10 years ago. Don’t blame him because HE GREW and you’re still in stuck in the past.
I completely agree with you.
– Steve Kerr
Thank you for this amazing comment.
Except Madden … “ Now here’s a guy that , when he runs he goes faster” yep he really said that on national TV
Yea qbass we see a difference but you do not get the point. Gruden is not just some TV guy. Much more. But you do not see it
Gruden has one of the best minds in all of football !
qbass187 v yoyo137
… and the winner is ….. yoyo137 by a KNOCKOUT in the 1st round!
Wham. Bam. qbass down for the count. Over and out and toast!
More disappointment from a Raider fan. I hope Gruden is not as over rated as I expect him to be. All the hype and we fizzle. FML
I wanted Josh McDaniels myself but at least Chucky was a winner and has been to the big game, hopefully he shakes up our offense and gets it moving in the right direction…now only if he can hire Fangio or Capers and bring back a nasty 3-4 defense
A winner? From a bygone era.
A winner is still a winner. He hasn’t coached in 10 years and still has more Super Bowl rings than over half the league’s head coaches. You act like he’s been sitting at home doing nothing these past 10 years. He’s been watching film of current NFL players and college players for years, and as crazy as he sounds sometimes, he knows football and knows how to coach.
Ha. You are a moron.
I hope for Bobby Johnson he was guaranteed his job and a raise or a nice severance package for having to be a part of this charade
Ya who knows how chicks will be . I mean look at mike Shanahan he was a great coach then was out of the league came back, sucked and ruined RG3’s career.
This is true, but who knows what Shanahan was doing while he was out of the league? Gruden has been watching every single team and been analyzing and probably updating his coaching style this whole time.
Spin the Gruden hire any way you want. He won a SB with Tony Dungy’s team and never went back. But I really don’t have an unbiased opinion about this. I think baby Davis represents everything that sucks about the NFL now. Greed at any expense. He threw Oakland, their fanbase and their franchise history, under the bus for the all mighty dollar. He’s like other owner’s kids that inherit what their father’s worked a lifetime for and is reaping the benefits without ever having done a thing to earn it.
He won with Tony Dungy’s team…playing against ‘his’ Raiders team.
As for earning it, his pedigree of 49ers and Packers got him the coaching jobs. And I can’t see why someone would be tagged ‘greedy’ for wanting more money when offered. It’s not like the Raiders didn’t get a King’s ransome in return.
Really? The city of Oakland and it’s fans and all the small businesses affected by them leaving might beg to differ with you on your idea of what is and isn’t greedy. And I’m sure they’re not losing sleep over what the Raiders “get”.
RG3 ruined his own career! He’s just not built to play NFL football!
They are going to be the next Browns now because Gruden Has not coached in a long time.
The talent on the Raiders is far superior to the Browns!
10 year/$100 million. Yikes.
I love the hire, I don’t love the price
My exact sentiments!
Lmaooooooooo 10 Years/$100 MM!? Get out!? He was a mediocre coach the first time around. The raiders will go nowhere again and he’ll be fired within 5 years, quote it. What a joke!
How soon before the Raiders trade him again? They got a haul last time 2 1st rounders, 2 second rounders, and 8 million. He was 57-55 in Tampa. Yup so good. He inherited Dungy’s team and won it with that team only because Barret Robbins ran off. Pretty sure there was meddling that lead to Gruden getting that SB win. I’d have to agree with Brown that the 11-hour changes had to help trigger Robbins’ episode and who as a coach changes everything so late in the sequence of preparation? They had 2 weeks to implement tha game plan.
link to si.com
Mike Shannahan part 2. Great coach but too much time in between coaching stints.
Best deal ever for a football coach! Congrats to Gruden!