“Jon Gruden Is Going To Be The Next Coach Of The Oakland Raiders”
December 31st, 2017
Jon Gruden’s friends and co-workers at ESPN are talking.
That’s quite a turn of events from last month, when they refused to utter a meaningful peep about the rumors of Chucky possibly becoming the Buccaneers’ head coach — rumors Chucky did a whole lot of nothing to quash.
This evening, heavy-hitter NFL insider Adam Schefter hopped on the TV airwaves and put his cards on the table.
“It’s simple, you don’t make that move with Jack Del Rio unless you know you can get Jon Gruden,” Schefter said on ESPN. “Jon Gruden is going to be the next coach of the Oakland Raiders. The only question is when it happens.”
While the deal is not official yet, Schefter, along with Chris Mortensen, reported earlier on Sunday that the Raiders planned to aggressively pursue Gruden. According to their sources, Gruden would be “tempted to accept” the offer and that it could even include an ownership stake in the team.
Mortensen, through the years, has been known as a confidant of Chucky’s, so Joe believes that gives the report greater credibility.
For those unaware, Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio, a former mentor of Dirk Koetter, was fired today.
There are rumors of Chucky getting an ownership share of the Raiders as part of a deal, but that would have to be approved by a vote of the others team owners, which could be sticky.
Regardless, Chucky wearing the silver and black again would be wildly entertaining — and it would leave legions of Bucs fans in disbelief and brokenhearted.
Joe will say this: Chucky getting the Raiders job would be quite a gift to the 2018 Koetter regime, eliminating the inevitable Chucky-to-the-Bucs chatter if, say, the Bucs jump out to a 1-3 start.
December 31st, 2017 at 11:29 pm
Gruden is the Darrelle Revis of coaching.
December 31st, 2017 at 11:31 pm
And wins the Super Bowl while the Bucs keep on losing.
December 31st, 2017 at 11:31 pm
Great and we are stuck with a Dork err Dirk and Licht weight GM. Happy friggen New Year!
December 31st, 2017 at 11:31 pm
Maybe we get Del Rio as DC?….Then he replaces Koetter and the circle of mediocrity continues?
December 31st, 2017 at 11:32 pm
When it’s official, then I will believe it. I’m tired of all of this guessing and speculation. But I do believe that the Raiders would not have fired Jack Del Rio without an replacement in place. Also Jon Gruden and Jack Del Rio share the same agent.
December 31st, 2017 at 11:33 pm
I guess all this failure falls on the ownership. The glazers simply do not know football on the business side of things and the talent on and on the sideline of the football field. They could probably get Gruden if they haven’t previously messed up signing the scraps and leftovers of coaches to max contracts. If that’s the case, then if you can’t handle the heat, then stay out of the kitchen. Let someone with football sense take control. Stick to Manchester United, they’re doing good overseas.
December 31st, 2017 at 11:35 pm
Glazers must put Del Rio on the payroll now, he’s tight with Koetter and Smith and is a damn good football guy and an overall good guy. Hire him. He can be an executive consultant or DC or anything, he will help the Bucs.
December 31st, 2017 at 11:36 pm
But it might still not happen because Gruden wants to be control of his employment(part owner). By past history, the other owners will not allow this to happen(do not like sharing control of the NFL with too many people).
December 31st, 2017 at 11:38 pm
If this is true, THEN SCREW YOU GRUDEN! You have a fan base in TB that thinks holds you at a legend status. You talked about being brought up in TB and in the Bucs organization but yet your going to be a greedy merc! Way to go!
December 31st, 2017 at 11:39 pm
The Raiders has a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. I’m sure Jon Gruden has looked at that also. Derek Carr and Khalil Mack both has MVP potential.
December 31st, 2017 at 11:42 pm
if koetter gift gets delivered….it may not last long…as the moment he (Gruden) has a winning season and develops Carr
the comparison and pressure will be here on the Glazers anyway as to WHY if the Bucs don’t have one and SOON like next season
IF and When this happens they will be no way not to correlate the ineptitude
and pressure will be on this team as if he never left the booth
December 31st, 2017 at 11:43 pm
Jack Del Rio may get another Head Coach job.
December 31st, 2017 at 11:44 pm
I kind of want it to happen if nothing but to pressure this team
As much as I wanted Gruden to return….I hope we don’t look like dumb fu**s for this move
Pretty much if not for the tuck rule …..he would have been in BACK to BACK superbowls
SMH
December 31st, 2017 at 11:46 pm
Given the history between the Glazer clowns and Gruden it was realistically never gong to happen. Hell, Howard is smart like Gruden and he would never go back to an old job that didn’t work out.
Raiders have better core and better ownership.
That said the Glazers did the right thing by putting Gruden in the ring of honor. That patches old wounds and shows class.
I (Howard) really think if the fans had chanted for Gruden and the Glazers had begged him on bended knee that he would have come back to the Bucs. But for once the Glazers were smart. They know you can never go back and they know this year was a perfect sh*t storm.
The right move was to honor Gruden and bring back Koetter.
No pressure this off season…(lol)
December 31st, 2017 at 11:48 pm
It will be official after Gru calls his last game for ESPN. This has been in the works for weeks. TEAM GLAZER too blind to see they got Played by JG!! LOLOLOL
December 31st, 2017 at 11:50 pm
And then Koetter will be fired after next year and we’ll have to pick from the bottom of the barrel.
December 31st, 2017 at 11:59 pm
Well, now it makes total sense that Gruden kept his mouth shut about the Bucs rumors. Why open your mouth and undermine your own negotiating position with the Raiders? Maybe that’s why the Glazers kept their mouths shut, too. If they’ve patched things up with Gruden, they wouldn’t want to undermine his position, either. (I’m going to naively assume that Gruden’s camp had no part in creating the rumors in the first place. I’ll sleep a little better.)
January 1st, 2018 at 12:04 am
I like Gruden…….but let’s not forget those 2 disastrous seasons that followed the SB win……pretty much blew up any momentum we had going after that….Let the Raiders find out for themselves if you can turn back time
January 1st, 2018 at 12:07 am
Raiders can’t officially announce it until they comply with the Rooney Rule
January 1st, 2018 at 12:11 am
So is Bruce Allen still coming here? Joe..
January 1st, 2018 at 12:17 am
Oh right, good reminder Brain – I had forgot about that.
Hey Raiders I did DNA testing and I’m 2% African, does that qualify me to get an interview? I’ve played Madden for nearly 30 years and I’ve built hundreds of Super Bowl winning teams over the years. I’ll forgo the team ownership percentage and just take a straight cash payout to sign whatever forms you need so you comply.
January 1st, 2018 at 12:22 am
Hopefully he’ll take Bruce with him, lol.
January 1st, 2018 at 12:26 am
I guess we will find out if all the morons who ran Gru out of town were right. I’m guessing not.
Of course if he wins another Super Bowl there will be some reason it’s not legit.
Live long and prosper Chucky, good move not trusting the local goobers, people in this town don’t respect you anyhow.
January 1st, 2018 at 12:30 am
$$$$$$$$$$$ TALKS …. BUT … the Raiders may have been done with JDR anyways, so it wouldn’t shock me if Gruden balked and they signed a guy like Josh McDaniels either
January 1st, 2018 at 12:31 am
I can’t say that I blame Gruden…the time feels right with ESPN imploding and the MNF gig probably becoming old hat to him. He’ll have to deal with a lot…cross country move as well as travel if his family stays behind. He will also be coaching a team without a steady home for a while. I don’t think he will ever fully forgive or forget how the Bros. Glazer blindsided him with a firing. Gruden still snarks about the FFCA ( Fired Football Coaches of America ) he “founded”. The AFC West is much weaker than the NFC South…and they still love him in the Bay area. I ain’t mad at ya, Jon. Best of luck except when you’re playing the Bucs.
January 1st, 2018 at 12:48 am
If there are any Bucs Fans who hate Jon Gruden, my only thing to say is this: The next time we play the Raiders (2020), or if Gruden leads the Raiders to the Super Bowl, ya’ll better be ready to admit you’re guilt. I’m willing to do the same if the converse happens. I was hoping Koetter would get fired and that Jon Gruden would return to the sidelines, but I guess that’s not gonna happen.
January 1st, 2018 at 12:53 am
It will be sad to see him back in black and silver. I was really excited at the possibility of him coming back. I just love his passion. Best of luck! Go Bucs!
January 1st, 2018 at 1:01 am
If the Raiders actually give Gruden a part of the team then of course Gruden would take that over the Bucs – who wouldn’t? It’s really one of the dumbest deals I can think of – a guy that last won a playoff game 15 years ago, followed by years of mediocrity despite having easily the best defensive coordinator in football – he’s able to spin that into what, $8mil/year AND part of the team?!? WOW! That is an amazing sales job if it’s true. I have a really hard time believing the team ownership part – unless it’s like a percent of a percent, since even 1% is $21-million, and you keep it until you sell it. Wow, BOOM! Amazing! What a time to be alive!
Also the Glazers would be nuts to give out any deal like that. Unless Dungy is there to build and hand Gruden a SB winning team we know what Gruden is, a 9-7 coach that loses in the first round. Sure, making the playoffs is a huge improvement over Dirk, but wow, team ownership and all that money? No thanks. I don’t blame the Glazers at all for not going for that if that is actually true.
January 1st, 2018 at 1:07 am
10 for 10
January 1st, 2018 at 1:08 am
I am a Gruden fan but I am fine with what the Glazers done keeping Koetter. No way as a owner they should be giving someone 8 mil a year and complete control of your organization. Its a hit or miss situation with these head coaches now. Just see Mike Holgran Bill Parcells. Holgran had to give up that GM title and still end up not being that good so did Jimmy Johnson. Parcells was good twice New England and the Jets but he also left running the last couple of times with Dallas and one other team I think not sure about the other team but I do know Dallas
January 1st, 2018 at 1:16 am
It was big
10 10 = 100
Or a percent
Bucs offered 8.5 with his endorsement
January 1st, 2018 at 2:57 am
Really hope Mike Smith didn’t win his job back after the NO win, they pretty much gave up after we scored the last TD, knowing Carolina lost, 40 seconds left pretty sure they could’ve ran right down the field if they wanted to
January 1st, 2018 at 5:18 am
I think Gruden is gonna tell Davis to stick it. Just like his daddy did to Jon when he sent him to us.
January 1st, 2018 at 7:22 am
I bet it winds up NOT happening (Gruden to Raiders).
January 1st, 2018 at 8:09 am
This is why i cant be a fan of this team anymore. You just put a coach in your ring of honor and you let him go to another team. The fact that we don’t even ask if he is interested is the clincher for me. You fans can have this team, good luck next year.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:12 am
Glazer’s made the right call.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:21 am
@BoJim
“Glazer’s made the right call.”
I bet you don’t say that this time next year. Wake up Tampa, this season was just a glimpse of the future.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:54 am
Winning is overrated
At least I have bama football and the Lightning
January 1st, 2018 at 9:14 am
If it is true I am very happy for Chucky. Since Tirico left it has been obvious that TV hasn’t been as appealing to him. I have never doubted his football IQ or passion for the game, but the game has changed and I am not sure he has. I’ll never be convinced that small market Tampa, with a serious habit of losing over the last dozen years would have been a good fit for him. Glad Koetter got another year, I think Chucky would have been a huge distraction and the Win -loss record would not have improved.
January 1st, 2018 at 9:45 am
but the win and loss record improves with dirt wow .hope chucky well and he made a good choice bucs are a bad organization and no future down her . WHINSTON WILL BE LOOKING AT A MAJOR SUSPEENTION GOOD LUCK
January 1st, 2018 at 10:01 am
No one takes glazers seriously. Gruden was never considering coming back to this crapshow franchise. He just played the glazers and nostalgic mentaslly weak foolish fanbase more concerned about recreating a failed past than moving forward…
Jameis is not facing a suspension. The gold digger has no case
January 1st, 2018 at 10:21 am
Don’t know and don’t care where Gruden lands, if anywhere.
More important is whether or not we get a new DC… Keeping Koetter is one thing, Smitty hanging around is another. But when Koetter says ” it means a lot to my family and the staff that we are coming back”
That’s frightening. Those who ignore history….
January 1st, 2018 at 10:32 am
I’d be happy to see Jack Del Rio come here, somehow involved with oversight of the defense. Smitty could stay in some capacity.
We need to be highly active in free agency, especially as to the needs of the D-line and CB positions. On offense, a solid OT and a RB would be on my wishlist too.
In the draft, “all in” on the defensive side in the early rounds, picking up an OT and a RB possibly later.
Definitely the “hands in the dirt” guys are where we need the biggest upgrades. Improving the pass rush and stopping the run will make our Dbs look so much better.
January 1st, 2018 at 11:04 am
Wait til they find out Bruce Allen is their new GM
January 1st, 2018 at 11:24 am
gruden is more like the bill parcels of coaching. hope he doesn’t change his mind last second like Parcells has. difference is he will need to win a super bowl to be respected as Parcells has..
January 1st, 2018 at 11:46 am
A bad business move in the meanwhile jaguars playoff tickets going for as high as 600 a piece
January 1st, 2018 at 11:54 am
Like I said multiple times…. If he is demanding a piece of the franchise, and they give it to him, I’d say the Glazers were wise not to come to terms with him. If it was just money and they didn’t, they are morons.
January 1st, 2018 at 12:13 pm
I think Gruden lowers his demands & excepts 8.5 guaranteed & the Glazers accept then fire Koetter. Which is kind of the way they operate.
January 1st, 2018 at 12:53 pm
The Rooney rule is keeping the deal from getting done I think – but it would be harilous if Gruden backed out of the deal. But part of the team ownership, even 1%, and making like $8-mil/year AND you get to live in Vegas and be king of the town – who doesn’t take that deal? Well assuming it’s true anyways. We shall see once the pandering Rooney rule is complied too.
January 1st, 2018 at 1:39 pm
People have short memories. Gruden was run out of town for a reason. I am not sure he was the answer. Yes, he won a super bowl but he had a tremendous d given to him and he played a team he knew inside and out. The stars aligned for him. I like Gruden but it is time to move on. Give Koetter another year or 2. The older I get the more I realize how patience is important. We try to live in a “we want it now society”. Let them build a good base first. There was too much hype with 9-7 last year and the tv show exposure. Koetter had an overachieved last year. They had a really tough schedule this year. I only predicted a 6 to 8 win year. Most games they were underdogs in anyway. The injuries made it a 5 win season. Jameis injured really hurt. They are really only need some more key players and som luck
January 1st, 2018 at 2:03 pm
Lightning…have you looked at this schedule this year? It reeks of a 5 to 6 win year again.
January 1st, 2018 at 3:40 pm
The Glazers suck on both sides of the Atlantic…lol.
Bucs suck, Man U sucks.
#firetheglazers
January 1st, 2018 at 3:50 pm
I’ve said it all along… Screw Gruden.
January 1st, 2018 at 7:42 pm
Does Gruden also resign his position in the FFCA? Stay tuned!