Jon Gruden: Bucs-Chiefs Call “Could Be A Game-Changer In The Broadcast Booth”
August 20th, 2026
Jon Gruden is a Buccaneers legend, but he’s also a business man, and he knows Saturday will be a showcase for him potentially to earn millions broadcasting games on TV again.
After being excommunicated from the NFL nearly five years ago and suing the league as a result, Gruden has been on a comeback trail courtesy of Team Glazer. The Bucs owners restored Gruden into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor and embraced him.
The Bucs have since used Gruden for team media and blessed him joining Rondé Barber in the preseason WFLA-TV broadcast booth for the upcoming Chiefs-Bucs game call in Tampa.
Gruden told the Ira Kaufman Podcast that he wants to be a play-by-play guy after nearly a decade as an analyst on Monday Night Football.
“I was a broadcaster for nine years; hell’s bells,” Gruden said five weeks ago. “I want to be play-by-play. You know, Frank Gifford, he transitioned into the play-by-play role. I would like to transition. I had nine years of watching these guys — [Mike] Tirico. And I’d like to give that a shot, man.”
But Gruden has since backed off that stance and said he just likes breaking down football for fans. Period.
This week on The Rondé Barber Show, a WFLA-TV streaming property, Gruden said he thinks what he and Barber have cooked up for Saturday could be a landmark production for the future of televised football.
“This might be a concept; you never know,” Gruden said. “This concept could be a game-changer in the broadcast booth.
“I mean, there’s been a conventional way; I sat up there for nine years and did it. Mike Tirico, there was a cadence. ‘First-and-10, it’s da-ta-da-ta-da-ta-da,’ and then you have to be timely in your responses and get out before the next play. But I think as long as we’re on the same page, we love Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We’re going to try to really educate the fans on some of the position battles, just the excitement of opening day in our stadium.”
Of course, Gruden and Barber didn’t disclose how they will handle the broadcast, but Barber gave a unique description.
“One of us is going to have our hand on the steering wheel,” Barber said. “I don’t know if either of us will be driving.”
August 20th, 2026 at 3:27 pm
Ronde and Gruden exactly they love the bucs ronde dc /asst hc gruden hc
August 20th, 2026 at 3:53 pm
Love them both. IF Licht is ever launched I’d look no further than Ronde to fill the void at GM. Having said that, I think Jason is a strong GM and I wouldn’t be looking to replace him.
August 20th, 2026 at 4:05 pm
gruden should replace mean gene
August 20th, 2026 at 4:17 pm
Asl long as they keep Gruden off the sauce for at least 12 hours before kickoff it should be fine.
August 20th, 2026 at 4:26 pm
My God, it’s just a broadcast of a preseason football game. No one is solving cancer.
August 20th, 2026 at 4:28 pm
I am waiting to hear this too because I hate hearing most of the commentary of the games because it’s always belittling us even when we’re up sometimes or doing very good. They always hit us with a backhanded compliment. and then go to the other team straight D riding every play even if it’s them fumbling the ball or them getting picked off or safety or something.
August 20th, 2026 at 5:02 pm
ModHairMattelKenDoll – Sit with your nose in the corner , sucking a lemon , and eating worms . The rest of us are going to watch the game and have fun .
August 20th, 2026 at 5:09 pm
@ El Jefe – I agree with the backhanded compliments about the Bucs and the focus about the other team.
Both Ronde and John are willing to share their opinions, so I expect an interesting call. The biggest challenge will be them talking over each other.
August 20th, 2026 at 6:56 pm
Didn’t Peyton do this already with the Manning cast?
August 20th, 2026 at 7:09 pm
Refreshing. I hope. A many of doneon announcers that follow the same formula make me hit the mute button between plays or flat out put me to sleep especially in the preseason. . Can we get some personality up in here? Gruden will bring that. Hype=Might be the most exciting broadcast announcing for a preseason game ever. LFG. GO VEA! GO BUCS!
August 20th, 2026 at 8:15 pm
Thonotosassa Says:
August 20th, 2026 at 5:02 pm
ModHairMattelKenDoll – Sit with your nose in the corner , sucking a lemon , and eating worms . The rest of us are going to watch the game and have fun
lol I was thinking the same thing. All he does is run his mouth..he is upset because he ran out of hair spray!
August 20th, 2026 at 8:26 pm
Gruden was the best color man EVER on MNF – better than even Madden (by far). I’m definitely interested in hearing his call.
Barber, not so much. He always seems a little too smug to me. Not that I dislike him intensely like Chris Collinsworth, but he’s nothing special at all.
August 20th, 2026 at 9:02 pm
This time, the Glazers aren’t still paying this schmuck
August 20th, 2026 at 9:21 pm
Wonder what type of relationship he has with Jim Nantz!? I can’t see Gruden as a lead ‘play-by-play’ guy.
August 20th, 2026 at 10:42 pm
Most broadcast color commentary people are completely forgotten the moment a TV is switched to something else. I could count on one hand the people who I didn’t forget, and a couple of them were for bad reasons (Dennis Miller anyone?).
Nothing Gruden does as color man could be worse than the hundreds of people I listened to before him that were so dull I can’t remember them at all.
Best of luck Jon!
August 21st, 2026 at 9:58 am
Screw the Gruden haters. That guy got us a Super Bowl. I want him back on our sidelines. Certainly wouldn’t be worse than what we’ve got now.
I said what I said.
August 21st, 2026 at 1:33 pm
Hot take: With Gruden’s personality, football IQ, and overall entertainment value, he is going to end up being this generation’s John Madden.
August 21st, 2026 at 7:10 pm
He’s going to do well. I’m glad for him.