It seems to be all but a foregone conclusion that Jon Gruden will return to the Oakland Raiders as head coach, replacing the recently fired Jack Del Rio.
For both Gruden and the Raiders, this seems to be a marriage made in heaven. Nearly two decades after their first divorce, Gruden is now on the verge of leading a talented young team that’s one year removed from winning 12 games.
But according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, there could be one hiccup here. It’s a concern among some within the league that Gruden’s personality might clash with that of franchise quarterback Derek Carr.
“Per a league source, there’s a real concern that Carr won’t be able to put up with Gruden’s style for very long,” Florio reported. “Gruden will ride him and needle him and yell at him and criticize him and ride him some more. Carr will have to learn how to deal with that, or Carr won’t last.”
Gruden was known as an in your face head coach with both the Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Carr has spent the past three years with a defensive-minded coach in Del Rio who let his offensive staff primarily handle Carr. This change in dynamic could potentially be an issue.
If the Raiders do indeed finalize a deal with Gruden, any potential rift would have to be overcome. Carr just signed what was at that time the largest contract in NFL history this past offseason. Gruden’s inevitable hiring comes with the Raiders eating the bulk of the extension they signed Del Rio to last year.