The NFL has already seen two coaches be fired during the first half of the season. Robert Saleh was fired by the New York Jets and Dennis Allen by the New Orleans Saints. It’s expected more vacancies will open up by the end of the season, if not the day after the regular season ends. With plenty of big names on the market to fill these open positions, one new name stands out from the crowd.
Jon Gruden, the former Las Vegas Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach has recently come out expressing interest in returning to the sideline. Gruden resigned from the Raiders back in 2021 after sensitive emails were leaked, going from him to then Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder. Gruden was once one of the most respected names in the NFL but now comes with a heavy dose of controversy. According to reports, multiple teams are showing interesting in Gruden as a legitimate candidate to take over their franchise.
Return To Coach the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The first landing spot for Gruden is the team he won a Super Bowl with in 2003. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are currently faced with a decision on current HC Todd Bowles, with their defense struggling, fans continue to call for Bowles to be out the door. Gruden was just seen in Tampa before reports of him wanting to return to coaching came out. This could be linked as Bucs QB Baker Mayfield would be an ideal starter from Gruden’s offensive system.
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints job currently sits empty, with Dennis Allen fire mid-season. The difference here is, the familiarity with Saints starting quarterback Derek Carr. Gruden and Carr were together with the Raiders, and at that time Derek Carr was playing some of the best football of his career. If the Saints are sticking with Carr as their quarterback moving forward after this season, Jon Gruden will be a name they most likely will heavily consider bringing into the building.
Dallas Cowboys
Every coach wants to be the one to take the Dallas Cowboys back to a Super Bowl. Owner Jerry Jones opted to not give current HC Mike McCarthy a contract extension before this season and the way the year has transpired, we shouldn’t expect McCarthy to be rewarded with a new deal. Jones has been very frustrated with this team and is more eager than ever to get the Cowboys back to a Super Bowl. Don’t be surprised if Jones starts looking in the direction of Gruden to take the job, knowing he is a very smart and firm offensive mind that could potentially get the best out of the highest paid quarterback in the league, Dak Prescott.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears just fired their offensive coordinator, and their current HC Matt Eberflus doesn’t appear to be keeping his job at the end of the year. The Bears selected USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in last year’s draft and so far, he’s struggled at the NFL level. Gruden is known for his great work with quarterbacks and being able to bring the best out of them. If the Chicago Bears are looking for an inside track on getting Williams developed sooner rather than later, this Super Bowl winning coach could just the man for the job.
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