Chucky Returns, Signs 10-year deal with Oakland
Now it's official. Jon Gruden will return to the sidelines in 2018 after agreeing in principal on a 10-year $100 million contract to return to Oakland to coach the Raiders. If all goes according to plan, Gruden will be the Raiders head coach when they officially become the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020.
Gruden will call his final game for ESPN on Saturday afternoon when the Chiefs take on the Titans. An image came out on Twitter with Chiefs coach Andy Reid speaking with Gruden during a media session in preparation for the game, even though many predicted that Kansas City wouldn't want the coach of a division rival in the building.
Gruden has been out of coaching for 10 years, turning his persona from the short-tempered coach of the Raiders and Buccaneers into this generations John Madden in the booth. Unlike Madden however, Gruden couldn't resist the urge to coach again.
Rumors of a Gruden return to coaching was an annual right of passage around this time of the year. The Colts, Eagles, Cowboys, Raiders and Buccaneers were always teams linked to Gruden in some fashion when those jobs opened over the past decade. However, this year it was serious. The Buccaneers were prepared to bring Gruden back, but balked at his demands and decided to stick with Dirk Kottier for a third year instead.
The Raiders? Well, these are the Raiders after all. They were more than happy to fire Jack del Rio after three seasons on the sideline following a 6-10 record in 2017. The Raiders were expected to be Super Bowl contenders this year under del Rio and it never came to fruition. The Raiders believe that Gruden can fix quarterback Derek Carr and get the team over the hump.
The expectations and pressure will be huge on Gruden to be Chucky once again.
Gruden will call his final game for ESPN on Saturday afternoon when the Chiefs take on the Titans. An image came out on Twitter with Chiefs coach Andy Reid speaking with Gruden during a media session in preparation for the game, even though many predicted that Kansas City wouldn't want the coach of a division rival in the building.
Gruden has been out of coaching for 10 years, turning his persona from the short-tempered coach of the Raiders and Buccaneers into this generations John Madden in the booth. Unlike Madden however, Gruden couldn't resist the urge to coach again.
Rumors of a Gruden return to coaching was an annual right of passage around this time of the year. The Colts, Eagles, Cowboys, Raiders and Buccaneers were always teams linked to Gruden in some fashion when those jobs opened over the past decade. However, this year it was serious. The Buccaneers were prepared to bring Gruden back, but balked at his demands and decided to stick with Dirk Kottier for a third year instead.
The Raiders? Well, these are the Raiders after all. They were more than happy to fire Jack del Rio after three seasons on the sideline following a 6-10 record in 2017. The Raiders were expected to be Super Bowl contenders this year under del Rio and it never came to fruition. The Raiders believe that Gruden can fix quarterback Derek Carr and get the team over the hump.
The expectations and pressure will be huge on Gruden to be Chucky once again.
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