Jon Gruden has been a staple of Monday Night Football ever since joining ESPN in 2009, but he’ll be heading back to the NFL coaching ranks soon enough. The Oakland Raiders made it official on Saturday evening.
Jon Gruden calling Titans vs. Chiefs just days before becoming Raiders head coach again
Saturday’s playoff game will likely be Gruden’s last at ESPN.
Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Gruden is calling his last game on Saturday when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Tennessee Titans.
What makes this different from the Tennessee or Tampa Bay Buccaneers rumors?
Well this time, they’re more than just rumors — something that was fairly clear for a week.
There’s already a report of a 10-year, $100 million contract in place and his broadcast partner Sean McDonough essentially confirmed that the playoff game between the Chiefs and Titans would be Gruden’s last in the booth.
A day before the Raiders fired Jack Del Rio, Adam Schefter filed a report that the Raiders were heavily pursuing Gruden. After Del Rio was officially let go, Schefter reported Gruden was next in line for the job. This was notable because Gruden and Schefter are ESPN co-workers, giving the report more weight than other rumor storms in Knoxville or Tampa.
Gruden more or less confirmed the report, unlike in previous years when he denied or had no comment. Speaking to the Mercury News, he said, “Well, I think I am being considered, yes. I hope I’m a candidate.”
The next day — in an interview with ESPN — Gruden said, “I think there’s a good chance [of becoming the Raiders’ head coach]. I’m excited about where I am in terms of studying the game and preparing to come back and coach.”
In other words, we’re just waiting for it to become official.
So this is really his last game in the booth, huh?
It sure is. Enjoy all the Spider 2 Y Banana calls while we still have them.
After getting fired from the Bucs in 2009, Gruden went to ESPN and became the main color commentator of Monday Night Football. He started off working with Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski, before settling into a two-man team with Tirico and later Sean McDonough. When ESPN started carrying a playoff game, Gruden was right there on Wild Card Weekend, a steady presence in the NFL broadcasting world. That’s where he’ll be this weekend.
It’ll feel a bit strange to not hear Gruden’s voice on MNF next year, but we can rest assured that he’ll be in Oakland, coaching up Derek Carr and Khalil Mack on the art of the turkey hole.
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