Admin December 31, 2024
NFL Overreactions Week 17
Sports Seriously’s Mackenzie Salmon breaks down this weeks NFL matchups.
Sports Seriously
The NFL’s coach hiring cycle for 2025 is starting to kick into full gear as the 2024 regular season winds to a close.
There has already been plenty of buzz about the top coaching candidates. Among the most notable are Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel. Former Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll appears ready to throw his name into the ring again.
Another familiar face could emerge as a surprise coaching candidate during the 2025 offseason: former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden.
Gruden hasn’t coached in the NFL since the 2021 season, when he resigned from his head coaching job after emails containing racist, homophobic and misogynistic remarks that he sent while working for ESPN were leaked to the media. That initially made Gruden a pariah in NFL circles, but the 61-year-old appears to be working his way back into the league’s coaching conversation.
Here’s what to know about the rumors surrounding Gruden’s potential coaching candidacy.
Jon Gruden coaching rumors
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Gruden could be a surprise coaching candidate during a New Year’s Eve appearance on “Good Morning Football.”
“There are multiple teams that have been doing extensive homework on Jon Gruden. The situation, him as a coach, him as a person.” Pelissero told Peter Schrager. “I would not be surprised at all if in the coming weeks you see Jon Gruden’s name popping up interviewing for a head coaching job.”
It isn’t clear whether Gruden would be a legitimate candidate for a coaching job or if NFL teams are just considering kicking the tires on the Super Bowl 37 winner.
That said, Pelissero reported that Gruden was strongly considered for the New Orleans Saints‘ offensive coordinator job during the 2024 NFL offseason before Klint Kubiak was hired to fill the role.
“My understanding is if he had wanted the Saints offensive coordinator job last year, he could have had it,” Pelissero said of Gruden.
Gruden had previously worked with the Saints in an advisory capacity during the 2023 NFL offseason. He didn’t have a full-time role in New Orleans but was brought aboard to assist with Derek Carr‘s transition to the team.
The Saints are among the NFL teams with a head coaching opening. They fired Dennis Allen after a 2-7 start to the 2024 season, but Pelissero did not clarify which teams might be interested in interviewing Gruden.
What does Jon Gruden do now?
Gruden recently agreed to join Barstool Sports as an NFL analyst. His primary responsibility appears to be creating video content, mainly breaking down NFL matchups which he posts on various social media platforms.
Gruden also serves as an advisor for the European League of Football’s Milano Seamen.