John Gruden isn’t ready to walk away from coaching just yet.
The former head coach for the Buccaneers and Raiders shared with reporters at Lions camp that he’s gearing up for a return to the sidelines soon. “Hopefully, I’m not finished,” Gruden mentioned. “I’m about to make a comeback. I’m working hard to get another shot. And hopefully, some of these guys who have moved on from my teams might be able to hire me.”
At 61, Gruden stepped down from his position with the Las Vegas Raiders in October 2021 after reports emerged from the New York Times about emails where he had used homophobic language over a span of several years, ending in 2018.
While it’s clear Gruden wants to get back into the NFL, he also stated that he doesn’t mind the level of coaching, whether it’s at a professional team or even at a middle school. “I don’t care if I’m going to coach at Jones Middle School,” he noted. “I’m going to coach again. I’m still coaching in my way. I have private challenges I’m working through, and I wear gear when I watch games, so nobody knows who’s pulling the strings.”
Since his resignation nearly four years ago, Gruden has acted as a consultant for teams like the Saints and Ravens. Currently present at Lions camp, he’s also showing support for the team’s new offensive coordinator, John Morton.
In November, Gruden made a return to media, joining Barstool Sports after having previously been an analyst for ESPN during Monday Night Football from 2009 to 2017.
Additionally, Gruden is currently pursuing legal action against the league and Commissioner Roger Goodell, claiming that he has been unfairly targeted in a process that involved leaked emails meant to sabotage his tenure as Raiders coach.
Over his 15-season coaching career in the NFL, Gruden has recorded a 117-112 win-loss record, which includes a Super Bowl championship with the Buccaneers in 2002.
