Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has been working to repair the public image surrounding him since he was forced to resign in 2021 due to emails he sent containing offensive language being leaked by the media.
He has been seen attending practices for teams around the NFL and even did some consulting for the New Orleans Saints, but he hasn’t gotten any traction on actually getting another coaching job. Considering he’s in the middle of a lawsuit with the NFL, a return to the pros seems unlikely until that is resolved.
Many have suggested he would be a good fit at the college level. He hasn’t coached at the college level since 1991, but his old-school approach to football could make more sense with younger players.
With Michigan’s decision to fire head coach Sherrone Moore, one of the top jobs in college football has opened up. Gruden is from the Midwest and could make some sense at Michigan. However, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, it is not likely that the Wolverines will consider Gruden.
“One other pro/college coaching note: a name I have seen floated around for the vacant Michigan job is Jon Gruden,” Jones wrote. “I truly do not know if Gruden will coach again this upcoming year or beyond, and it’s possible that question won’t be answered until his lawsuit against the NFL reaches a conclusion. But I do not see Gruden to Michigan as a possibility in Ann Arbor, according to multiple sources.”
Should Michigan Kick the Tires on Gruden?
College football programs are historically more forgiving of coaches who have dealt with problems off the field than the NFL. If Michigan decided not to consider Gruden, it would likely have more to do with fit.
There’s also the fact that the team is currently dealing with a scandal from the coach they just fired, and there was also a big cheating scandal during Jim Harbaugh’s tenure. Bringing in Gruden would bring in a massive media circus that the program likely doesn’t want to deal with right now.
Will Gruden Coach Again?
It’s hard to see a scenario where Gruden coaches in the NFL again. Not only has his relationship with league leadership deteriorated, but it’s easy to forget that his last tenure with the Raiders was a disaster.
The team didn’t have a winning season in any of his first three seasons back, and it looked like they were headed toward another disappointing season before he resigned. In fact, they seemed to get better after he left and were able to mount a playoff run in 2021.
Gruden’s a strong offensive mind, but he likes to have control over the roster. He might be one of the worst minds when it comes to constructing a roster that the league has ever seen. The Raiders wasted so many draft picks with him calling the shots. If Gruden returns to coaching, it makes a lot more sense at the college level. He likely burned his bridge with the NFL when he decided to sue the league.
Ex-Raiders HC Jon Gruden Gets Unfortunate News on Coaching Future: Report