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Jon Gruden could once again don the silver and black. Per reports, Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis is interested in bringing back Gruden, who spent time in Oakland as the team’s head coach from 1998-2001. Gruden initially had a falling out with the team and ended up beating them in 2012 as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Gruden has always had strong ties to Davis, however, and could potentially be open to rejoining a franchise that really hasn’t done much of merit since his departure.
Tony Sparano takes over as the interim coach for now, in relief of Dennis Allen, who was fired after just over two seasons and going 8-28 in 36 games. Sparano previously operated as head coach for the Miami Dolphins.
Gruden Has Demands
It does appear that Gruden would be mutually interested to a certain degree, but the situation may have to be just right. After all, Gruden has stayed away for the game for years now and has grown comfortable in his role as an analyt for ESPN’s Monday Night Football lineup. Gruden even does an off-season segement with incoming quarterbacks and helps them prepare for the NFL Draft. So, the question is, does Gruden still have the hunger and drive to be a successful head coach, or he is content relaxing in mainstream media?
One other nugget aside from prying Gruden out of the grasp of ESPN is that he may require a “franchise quarterback” to build around. As they’re currently constructed, few people can just come in and build this Raiders team into a winner. Gruden might not even be able to do it. That’s why he will want to sit back and see what Oakland really has in second round draft pick Derek Carr. If Carr shows well enough throughout the rest of the season, Gruden could be inspired and decide to make a return. If not, Gruden may feel like the rebuilding process is just too much to take on.
Is Gruden the Answer?
There’s also the obvious question – is Gruden just a big name that will provide false hope, or can he actually make a difference? One thing we know is that Gruden has had success and he’s a sound offensive mind. He’s also known as a player’s coach, so if the logic rings true, he’ll put together a roster that will play for him and will be able to score. Neither of those things are something Oakland is currently used to seeing.
Whether or not Gruden is destined to be a Raider again or even return to coaching remains to be determined. But it’s obvious the Raiders are interested if he warms up to the idea.
