NFL Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders Rumors: Jon Gruden Return Is Just a Dream

Jon Gruden

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The Oakland Raiders need a new head coach, so naturally one big name is going to surface — Jon Gruden. It hasn’t even been 24 hours since Dennis Allen‘s firing, and the Chucky-back-to-Oakland rumors are already rampant.

These reports shouldn’t be shocking to anyone. Gruden is linked to nearly every high-profile job that comes open, whether he’s truly interested or not. Given that the man hasn’t coached an NFL game since 2008, it’s clear he hasn’t been interested in much of anything coaching-related lately.

Is anything going to be different this time around? Will he want to sign on to save the Raiders? It’s hard to think of reasons why he would be interested.

Sure, there’s something to be said for finishing where you started. There’s also something to be said for taking on a tough project. But for a guy who has the ability to be picky about where and if he coaches next — why would he basically want to start from scratch with the lowly Raiders?

Maybe if the money is right and he’s offered a lot of power within the organization, he’d consider it. But overall, Gruden’s return to Oakland just seems like a silver and black dream. Not reality. However, you should never say never in the world or sports.

In the meantime, Tony Sparano has been named the Raiders’ interim head coach. Maybe he’ll impress enough to be in the running for the permanent gig next year?

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