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Jon Gruden says he may return to coaching


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Jon Gruden says he may return to coaching, and 2 teams appear to be the most likely destinations

 

Jon GrudenPhelan M. Ebenhack/AP

  • The "Monday Night Football" analyst and Super Bowl-winning head coach Jon Gruden may be considering a return to the sideline.
  • Tennessee just fired its head coach, and at least one NFL analyst thinks the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will do the same. Gruden has longstanding ties to both teams.
  • While remaining noncommittal, Gruden has repeatedly said he would not rule out coaching again.


Speculation that the "Monday Night Football" analyst Jon Gruden may be considering a return to the sideline as a head coach is nothing new, but thanks to a unique set of circumstances, the latest rumors appear more valid than usual.

In a recent appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show," Gruden said he might return to coaching "one of these days, you never know," a seemingly empty sentiment he has expressed on several occasions. But because he has ties to a pair of high-profile potential openings, it seems possible that the 2003 Super Bowl champion could be persuaded to accept his first professional gig since the 2008 season.

Over the weekend, Tennessee fired Butch Jones, the former Cincinnati coach who led the Volunteers to three consecutive bowl wins but a 0-6 conference record in 2017. It has been a hugely disappointing fall for the program, which has employed four head coaches in the past decade.

Gruden's longstanding ties to Tennessee make him a natural fit for that opening. He spent time in Knoxville as a graduate assistant from 1985 to 1987. Additionally, his wife is a former Tennessee cheerleader, and his son is a current student at the university. Gruden was spotted at the Volunteers' game against South Carolina last month, showing that he still has a soft spot for his old squad.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Gruden is said to have at least thought about the position. According to John Talty of AL.com, the Ohio native once informed school administrators that the Tennessee job was one of three college jobs he would ever consider taking.

Over 500 miles south of Knoxville, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Gruden's most recent employer, are toiling through a lost season of their own. After winning nine games in 2016 and adding several offensive weapons over the offseason, the Buccaneers began the year as a trendy, up-and-coming team with designs on leaping to the next level. Instead, they've stumbled, sporting a 3-6 record after a Week 10 win.

Appearing on an episode of the "Ringer NFL Show" podcast, the former NFL executive Mike Lombardi said he expected the Buccaneers' owners to fire head coach Dirk Koetter, which would open up a spot for Gruden.

"Look, the Glazers have fired people. They fired Jon Gruden, who won a Super Bowl for them. They fired Tony Dungy, all right. They fired Greg Schiano after two years. They're going to fire Dirk Koetter," Lombardi said. "They fired Raheem Morris. One thing you know as an executive: When it's going south, it's south. It's south in Tampa."

Gruden hasn't indicated any interest in returning to Tampa, but a reunion "would not be a bridge too far," a former assistant told Jason La Canfora of CBS.

Lombardi mentioned in an earlier episode of the podcast that Gruden had reconciled with Buccaneers ownership.

While Gruden has previously been linked to high-profile openings, Tennessee and Tampa Bay appear to be perfect fits. The 54-year-old told Eisen he wasn't ruling anything out.

"I have talked to people in years past," he said. "I plan on keeping my options open. If something comes along down the road, we'll take a look at it."

Gruden ending up back on the sideline would end a nine-season tenure on "Monday Night Football." Fans will get another chance to see him on Monday when the Carolina Panthers host the Miami Dolphins.

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I don't know, show him the money. Give him a blank check and let him make all football decisions if that's what he wants. He already has ties to Morton, so he has that part in place already. At this point what have we got to lose?. I'd p!ss on a spark plug at right now to see if it works. Quite frankly I am 52 years old and really never get used to games like this past weekend where caoches and players just look (and actually say) they are "not ready to play". If any of us said that even once in our jobs like "I was not ready to work" and because of it something major went wrong, we'd be gone. 

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flgreen, Yes, but if he could get the Jets to and Win a SB, he would be a God worldwide. If not he makes a boatload of cash. Where would the downside be?. Most would say, yea, but what about the aggrevation especially if Jets never improve. Yes, but he'd be laughing all the way to the bank with how much he'd get paid, so he'd live with it. I have just been thinking that regardless of how the rest of this season turns out, once would think that if the jets Brass see they can get a clear upgrade over Bowles, I think they would pull the trigger on it. If they can't they probably won't unless the team completely collapses and plays every game like in Tampa. If Chucky, Cower, etc. type of coaches were to be avaoable and want to take the job, I would think they would drop Bowles like a hot potato. 

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1 minute ago, #27TheDominator said:

I will go on record as saying I don't like the idea.  He seems full-blown clown to me. 

He’s not taking this job, anyway. All these guys smell blood in the water with the Giants job and want to make sure Mara knows who to short-list.

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It’s in your blood,” Gruden told Eisen regarding a possible return to coaching, via JoeBucsFan.com. “You get some people calling maybe to see if you’re interested in coaching again and maybe if you can help recommend a couple of guys. I’m pretty much involved with every level of football every day of the week, so I try to help if I can.

“One of these days, who knows, Rich? One of these days, you never know.”

Translation: One of those days could be coming soon.

“I have talked to people in years past. I plan on just keeping my options open,” Gruden said. ”If something comes along down the road, we’ll take a look at it.”

Translation: Call me.

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1 hour ago, flgreen said:

I can see him going to Tenn, but not Tampa.  College football is all about recruiting, Chucky has a high public profile that would draw top shelf recruits.  He is also very personable and could charm parents.

Think he's be a great college HC

i can't see him taking a college job.  there's just too much bs with the ncaa. there's bs in the nfl but at least wouldn't have to deal with team boosters or ncaa sanctions etc.

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1 hour ago, T0mShane said:

He’s not taking this job, anyway. All these guys smell blood in the water with the Giants job and want to make sure Mara knows who to short-list.

Yup same old same old, the get the QB, they get the Coach, we get the 12th pick in May.

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1 hour ago, T0mShane said:

He’s not taking this job, anyway. All these guys smell blood in the water with the Giants job and want to make sure Mara knows who to short-list.

Exactly.  Gruden only threw the feelers out there after the Giants lost to SF and look like they've got another FQB on the way.  Jets are 2nd class citizens when it comes to the big names.

Besides that though, Bowles is going to win COTY.

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2 hours ago, flgreen said:

I can see him going to Tenn, but not Tampa.  College football is all about recruiting, Chucky has a high public profile that would draw top shelf recruits.  He is also very personable and could charm parents.

Think he's be a great college HC

Yep and they get big bucks and with a little success they are treated like kings.

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15 hours ago, The Walrus said:

Would prefer Brian Billick, but he's 10 years out. I can understand the whole expectation over the years about Gruden, Billick, Cowher returning but it's been a long time out for all of them and doubt any are coming back.

why would you want Billick?

14 hours ago, T0mShane said:

He’s not taking this job, anyway. All these guys smell blood in the water with the Giants job and want to make sure Mara knows who to short-list.

this is all PR by the Giants.  the only big name guy that was speculated to want the Giants job was Cowher and last I checked the Giants had an opening after the 2015 season and Cowher didn't go after it.  what is attractive about that job right now? I guess maybe coming in w/ a top 10 pick but they are a total mess w/ no QB.  at least we have some young pieces around not having a QB.

13 hours ago, TuscanyTile2 said:

Exactly.  Gruden only threw the feelers out there after the Giants lost to SF and look like they've got another FQB on the way.  Jets are 2nd class citizens when it comes to the big names.

Besides that though, Bowles is going to win COTY.

who are the big name guys that have spurned us?  who have we tried to get?  who were available when we had an opening?  We got the biggest name in the sport in Parcells, since then we have gone w/ younger guys but who were the guys we missed on?  and who are the big name coaches the Giants have hired?  Coughlin was damaged goods after his last few years in Jax.  They just had an opening 2 years ago and where were the big name coaches knocking down their door? who else? Jim Fassell wasn't a big name, even Parcells wasn't a big name when they hired him. 

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Talk of a Jon Gruden return heats up in Tampa

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 14, 2017, 8:19 AM EST
 

Jon Gruden coached the Buccaneers to their only championship. Could they bring him back to try to win another?

They might, as talk is heating up in Tampa that head coach Dirk Koetter is on the hot seat and Gruden could be his replacement.

Longtime Tampa reporter Ira Kaufman said today on PFT Live that he thinks Koetter needs to close strong if he’s going to save his job, and that the Buccaneers’ owners may think Gruden would energize the fan base.

“I think Koetter’s got seven weeks to prove that this team is still buying what he’s selling,” Kaufman said. “The stands are half empty, and there’s a guy out there that has a lot of juice and can fill those stands. . . . I’m starting to believe it for the first time, that Gruden’s coming back.”

Kaufman said he has heard that Gruden would be open to returning to coaching and would prefer the NFL, not college football, because he doesn’t like recruiting. Kaufman also said Gruden’s announcing career has run its course and that Gruden doesn’t have the same passion for the job now that he’s not paired with Mike Tirico, who became a close friend during their years together. Kaufman added that Gruden thinks highly of Jameis Winston, has mended fences with the Glazer family after they fired him at the end of the 2008 season, and would love to work with his son, Deuce Gruden, who currently works as a strength coach on Jay Gruden’s staff in Washington but would likely leave his uncle’s staff for his dad’s if Jon Gruden became a coach again.

Add it all up, and there are a lot of reasons to think a Gruden return would make a lot of sense.

 
 
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He should go to Tennessee.  You can get your coaching fix in college which p;lays a better brand of football, you get players that will all listen to you.  You make almost as much as you would in the pros without all the head aches of the pro game.

If I was a coach that had won a super bowl I'd never take an NFL job over a college job unless I was walking into the perfect situation.  (And tampa is not perfect)

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2 hours ago, Beerfish said:

He should go to Tennessee.  You can get your coaching fix in college which p;lays a better brand of football, you get players that will all listen to you.  You make almost as much as you would in the pros without all the head aches of the pro game.

If I was a coach that had won a super bowl I'd never take an NFL job over a college job unless I was walking into the perfect situation.  (And tampa is not perfect)

yeah but he'd have to recruit selling 15-16-17 year olds on coming to play for him.

Maybe in the old days players listened but now if players don't play right away they want to transfer.

and the pro game is and always will play the better brand of football. 

I can't imagine anyone who has been a longtime pro Coach wanting to coach in college unless they had no other choice.

 

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3 minutes ago, nyjunc said:

yeah but he'd have to recruit selling 15-16-17 year olds on coming to play for him.

Maybe in the old days players listened but now if players don't play right away they want to transfer.

and the pro game is and always will play the better brand of football. 

I can't imagine anyone who has been a longtime pro Coach wanting to coach in college unless they had no other choice.

 

Would you rather revruit kids or have to deal with the array of malcontents and guy that just quit after getting paid in the NFL?

The college game is VASTLY better and more entertaining than the pros at this point i time, its not even comparable.

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5 minutes ago, Beerfish said:

Would you rather revruit kids or have to deal with the array of malcontents and guy that just quit after getting paid in the NFL?

The college game is VASTLY better and more entertaining than the pros at this point i time, its not even comparable.

I think there are pros and cons to each job but the pros of the pros would give it the edge.  it's not just having to beg teenagers to play for you but it's the banquets, the speaking engagements, the rich alumni, etc... when you have had success in the NFL at the highest level of the sport I think the older you get the harder it would be to go to a big time college.  Maybe a small time college where coaching is for fun but when you have to win at a place like UT he wouldn't have much fun.

I disagree, I think the best thing about college football is the atmosphere but as far as the game itself?  It's much more boring than NFL football and unfortunately some of the college stuff has made its way to the NFL making the NFL game more boring(the read option garbage) type stuff.

 

we are all different though, I prefer college basketball to the NBA.  Others may disagree with me, it's all personal preference and I love the NFL and don't love college football.

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4 hours ago, Philc1 said:

But with a Lombardi trophy

 

i think the giants get him

You think Jerry Reese is going to hire that type of celebrity coach ?

If he hires Gruden, the tail may try to wag the dog and GMs (especially successful ones like him) usually dont subscribe to that type of power structure.

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