The New York Giants have begun their search for a new head coach, and their opening is expected to be among the most attractive in the NFL this offseason. As a result, several high-profile names have been pitched as potential candidates for the Giants’ head coaching job.
Among those pipe-dream candidates is former Super Bowl champion Jon Gruden. Despite not having coached since the 2021 season, Gruden is considered among the top candidates for the Giants’ head coaching job as he contemplates a move out of media and back onto the sidelines.
Jon Gruden would be “very interested” in the Giants’ head coaching gig
Jon Gruden, giants
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Jon Gruden’s brother, Jay Gruden, a former head coach of the Washington Commanders, recently said on The Arena Gridiron that his brother would have a great interest in becoming the Giants’ head coach.
“I think he’d be very interested. He loves Jaxson Dart,” Jay said of Jon. “If you have a young quarterback who is talented like Jaxson, you want a guy like Jon who is going to challenge him every day. If you want a guy that gets the most out of your quarterback, the most out of your team, then I believe Jon would be a good fit.”
Jon Gruden’s love for Jaxson Dart is well-documented. Dart’s appearance on “Gruden’s QB Class,” a YouTube series where the former head coach trains and teaches incoming rookie quarterbacks, has gone viral several times.
In the episode, Gruden oggled over Dart’s abilities as a quarterback and raved about the rookie’s mentality, confidence, and football IQ. It was clear then, and it is even clearer now, that Jon Gruden would love an opportunity to be Dart’s head coach.
Would Gruden be a good fit with the New York Giants?
Jon Gruden is a winner. He has a career 117–112 (.511) record with a 5–4 (.556) postseason record and a Super Bowl (XXXVII) ring. His best days were in the early 2000s with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Jon Gruden, giants, NFL: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Chicago Bears
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Gruden coached the Buccaneers from 2002 to 2008 before moving into media for nearly a decade. He was then pulled back onto the sidelines in 2018 to coach the Raiders.
Now, Gruden is back in media, but his desire to coach seemingly remains. And the Giants could be the team to lure him back onto the sidelines this time around.
Gruden’s off-the-field controversies could prevent him from coaching again
There is a roadblock standing in front of Gruden for a potential return to the NFL: his pending lawsuit with the league. Gruden is currently suing the NFL for exposing his scandals that led to his resignation from the Raiders in 2021. A Nevada judge threw out a bid from the NFL to dismiss the case on May 25, 2022, leaving the suit open to this day.
Gruden was investigated for workplace misconduct due to a string of concerning, inappropriate, and offensive emails Gruden sent from 2011 to 2018 that were uncovered in 2021.
Jon Gruden, giants, NFL: Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Rams
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Those misconduct issues could be a deterrent for the Giants in potentially hiring Gruden, and Gruden’s suit against the league could potentially deter him from taking another coaching job.
However, if these issues are sorted out, Gruden could potentially have an interest in coaching the Giants. Hiring Gruden would be a big swing for the fences, luring a former Super Bowl champion into the organization to reset the culture and rebuild the foundation.
Gruden’s controversies might prevent him from landing another gig. But if the Giants have an open mind, it seems like Gruden does, too.