Former Oakland and Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has been making a name for himself lately, not as a football coach, but as a social media personality for Barstool Sports. As part of his gig, both college and professional teams have been sending him boxes full of team gear in the mail for him to open on camera.
On Tuesday, the Raiders sent Gruden a large box in the mail filled not only with the latest Las Vegas gear but also with several mementos from his career. One of these souvenirs was a signed jersey with a message from star defensive end Maxx Crosby, who Gruden drafted in 2019. When the video of him opening the box was posted on X, Crosby responded with a simple message.
"Love you, coach," wrote Crosby.
Crosby was an underrated prospect coming out of Eastern Michigan but Gruden was one of the only coaches in the NFL to believe in his abilities. After using a fourth-round pick on him, Gruden ended up starting Crosby in 10 games during his rookie campaign, and he totaled 10.0 sacks on the year.
While Gruden's tenure with the Raiders ended amidst a scandal, several of his former players have made it known that they still have love for their former coach. The franchise does not seem to be holding his past against him either, as they opted to send Gruden the largest box of gear he's received yet.
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This story was originally published March 19, 2025 at 1:00 PM.