Jon Gruden Rumor: Coach May Be Headed To Oakland Raiders, Not Texas Longhorns

Jon Gruden for months has faced rumors that he’ll be leaving the broadcast booth for to return to the football sidelines, and the latest reports say that he could become the next coach of the Oakland Raiders.

Gruden signed a five-year extension with ESPN in 2011, one with a rumored salary of $4 million per year, and publicly he has said he plans to remain with the network in 2014. But along the way there have been constant reports that Jon Gruden is being lured back into coaching, including recent reports that he could fill the vacancy with the Texas Longhorns.

The Oakland Raiders rumor originates from Gruden’s former quarterback, Rich Gannon, who said in a radio interview with 95.7 The Game that the scenario isn’t so far-fetched.

“I’ve had conversations with Jon in the past,” Gannon said. “I don’t think it’s outside the realm of possibilities.”

The rumor would seem reasonable enough. Oakland Raiders coach Dennis Allen appears to be on the hot seat, and rumors say that Jon Gruden is itching to get back to the sidelines.

“I know that he still has the desire to get back and do it at some point,” Gannon said. “I don’t know when. I don’t know where. But I know this, that he had two bad experiences as a head coach with some owners that he just had a tough time with.

“And you know I think it’s pretty clear that he didn’t necessarily see eye to eye with [Al] Davis… and I think he wants to go somewhere where he’s got an owner that’s not gonna, you know, try and pick the roster and try and call the plays, and just a guy that he can just come in and work for and hire a staff and get the thing turned around.”

Jon Gruden coached the Raiders from 1998 to 2001, but clashed with head coach Al Davis and was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who he then led to a Super Bowl title against the Raiders.

Jon Gruden has shot down all coaching rumors before, including reports early in 2013 that he would join the Dallas Cowboys. He has not spoken publicly on the Oakland Raiders rumor, though a source close to the broadcaster said he would be interested in the Texas Longhorns coaching job if approached.