Is Jon Gruden ready for a return to the NFL?

Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden reportedly declined an offer to join a rebuilding AFC team.

According to a report from Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic, the New York Jets contacted Gruden about a role under head coach Aaron Glenn. Gruden “wasn’t interested”, Rosenblatt reports.

It’s unclear what specific role Gruden was offered. But Rosenblatt’s report comes days after Glenn fired six of his assistants: Quarterbacks coach Charles London, pass game coordinator Scott Turner, linebackers coach Aaron Curry, defensive line coach Eric Washington and defensive assistants Roosevelt Williams and Alonso Escalante.

Jon Gruden was last involved with an NFL team in 2023, when he served as a consultant with the New Orleans Saints under HC Dennis Allen. Two years earlier, Gruden resigned as the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coach when old emails he wrote containing homophobic, racist and misogynistic language were used.

Gruden also attended Detroit Lions training camp last year, leading to speculation he would join Dan Campbell’s staff.

That never happened, and he has maintained his media role with Barstool Sports. However, Gruden told reporters at Lions training camp that he was “hopefully” not finished as an NFL coach.

Jon Gruden Had Mixed Results As An NFL Head Coach

Jon Gruden gesturingJon Gruden (Photo via Imagn Images)

Gruden had success in his first stint with the Oakland Raiders, leading them to playoff appearances in 2000 and 2001. And yes, he won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002. But that was with the team that Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy had built.

After the Bucs’ Super Bowl triumph, Gruden never had another playoff win. He returned to coaching in 2018, accepting a 10-year, $100 million contract from Raiders owner Mark Davis.

The Las Vegas Raiders never finished better than 8-8 under Gruden in his second tenure. They were 3-2 when he resigned in 2021, and he left the NFL with a 117-112-0 record, per Pro Football Reference.