Jon Gruden won’t be coaching the Oakland Raiders next season. At least, John Madden doesn’t think he will. Madden participated in an interview with Jim Corbett of USA Today and discussed a wide-array of topics, including the future of his former franchise, both in terms of its head coach and its home.
John Madden doesn’t see Jon Gruden coaching the Raiders
Retired from the sideline and the booth, Madden is still staying in the game from home and predicts that John Gruden will be staying in the announcing booth.
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He does not believe Gruden will come back to the sideline for Oakland, which is currently 0-8 and hasn’t been in a postseason game since leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII. Gruden last coached with Tampa Bay in 2008 and has not interviewed for a coaching position since.
Madden believes Gruden’s distance from coaching makes it unlikely for him to return, via USA Today:
“The further you get away from it — the game changes from week to week, from month to month and from year to year,” Madden said. “So the more years you’re out, they’re playing a different game than he coached.
“The game that Jon Gruden coached isn’t the game they’re playing now.”
After coaching the Raiders from 1969-78, Madden maintains a close relationship with the organization. He offered his thoughts on the Raiders potentially moving back to Los Angeles where they played from 1982-94, with their lease in Oakland expiring after the 2014 season.
“I think they have to exhaust every possibility to stay in Oakland, which they should,” Madden said. “And then if that doesn’t work out, then L.A. would be a possibility.”
Madden is also still serving on the NFL competition committee and the NFL safety panel. He also reviews the officiating and injury footage along with all of the games on All-22 film.
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