The last time Jon Gruden coached in an NFL game came just over two years ago when he lost 20-9 to the Chicago Bears on Oct. 10, 2021. Gruden resigned from his post as the Las Vegas Raiders head coach the very next day after an investigation into the Washington Commanders’ workplace misconduct revealed racist and homophobic slurs in emails sent by Gruden.
Gruden was an NFL head coach for 15 seasons, where he led a 117-112 regular season record while going 5-5 in the playoffs. His peak came in 2002 when he helped lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl win.
One of the last wins Gruden got came against a team he could eventually join, according to one NFL insider.
The latest link between Gruden and the NFL comes from longtime Pittsburgh Steelers insider Gerry Dulac, who was asked to name some potential replacements if the team moves on from controversial offensive coordinator Matt Canada.
While Dulac admitted that it’s probably too early to speculate on such a transaction, as any decision to fire and then hire a replacement offensive play-caller likely wouldn’t come until the offseason. Yet, that didn’t prevent Dulac from tossing Gruden’s name out there, noting his ties to head coach Mike Tomlin. If Gruden did have interest in Pittsburgh’s offensive coordinator position, it shouldn’t shock anyone if Tomlin, who worked under Gruden for four seasons as the Buccaneers’ defensive backs coach, decided to hire Gruden too.
If so, it wouldn’t be the first time Tomlin has added a controversial figure who’s at odds with the NFL to his coaching staff. He also did this with Brian Flores, who actually filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL over racial discrimination.
Gruden was once one of the most respected coaches in the NFL, and even though he hasn’t officially found a way back into the league yet, he did join the New Orleans Saints as a consultant this past offseason. It not only reunited him with his former QB Derek Carr, but it was also his first step back into the NFL. Will the Steelers toss him another lifeline, giving Gruden a second chance? If so, don’t expect it to come until the offseason at the earliest. And that’s if there’s mutual interest at all.
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