Donald Penn is getting a lot of credit for taking less money to help his team win now. He certainly deserves it, but it says a lot about the progress Jon Gruden has already made in his return to coaching.
A lot has been made over the past few days around the selfless act by veteran offensive tackle Donald Penn, who reportedly took a 50 percent pay cut in exchange for more guaranteed money to help the Raiders’ salary cap situation. Rightfully so.
The two-time Pro Bowler could have held his ground, despite the risk of being cut at age 35, but didn’t. He put the team first. While Penn deserves accolades for his act, don’t think for one minute it didn’t have everything to do with Coach Jon Gruden.
I’m trying to help the kid out so the kid can be as good as possible because it’s going to help us out as a team. It’s going to help us win. – Donald Penn on tutoring his eventual successor, Kolton Miller
Since Gruden’s arrival, as I’ve written in this space before, the coach immediately set about to change the culture after the dysfunction and lax atmosphere under the former coach. Gruden is a coach that demands accountability and selflessness. While the jury is still out on how much Gruden will win, there can be no denying he has changed the culture and overall mood and feel of this team.
The Penn sacrifice is a perfect example. And it extends past the restructuring of his contract. It’s also evident in how the veteran talks about the young player drafted to eventually replace him – Kolton Miller.
“Kolton, me and Kolton, we’re developing a good friendship. So I want to have him ready so when he goes out there he can succeed. It’s not like I’m over here jealous or mad,” Penn said at a press conference Wednesday. “I’m trying to help the kid out so the kid can be as good as possible because it’s going to help us out as a team. It’s going to help us win.”
Help us win.
That’s what a championship mentality is about. It’s about sacrifice and focus. It’s about thinking less about yourself and more about how you help your team. Examples of champions doing this very thing litter the landscape of pro sports. At a time when players look for the biggest possible payout, Gruden has the Raiders thinking this way.
And that’s a big deal, Raider Nation.
While we’ll have to see how many games Gruden can win, one thing is certain – the battle to change the culture in Oakland has already been won.