The former NFL coach expressed his desire to return to coaching at the college level during an interview with Brandon Marcello of CBS Sports.
“Yeah, I’m interested in coaching,” Gruden stated. “My dad was a college coach, I’ve held a coaching position at Pitt, and my wife was a cheerleader at Tennessee when we first crossed paths. Hell yeah, I’m interested in coaching. I believe I’m capable of contributing to a team. I can assist young players in their development, and I’m confident in my ability to build a robust staff, which is my only assurance. But yes, I’m very eager about coaching at any level. Period.”
### Gruden Seeks to Move Beyond 2021 Controversy
Since 2021, Gruden has not held a coaching position, having resigned as the head coach of the Raiders after a report by The New York Times revealed a number of his emails that included homophobic, racist, and sexist comments during his time as an ESPN analyst from 2011 to 2018. After stepping down, he has trained several quarterbacks, including Kirk Cousins and Gardner Minshew, at his private coaching facility in the off-season, and served as a consultant for the Saints last year.
The former Raiders coach has been reluctant to delve into the details surrounding his departure, telling CBS that he prefers to allow “the due process take care of itself.” In November 2021, Gruden filed a lawsuit against the NFL, claiming that Roger Goodell or others leaked his emails to the media to expedite his dismissal.
While he had previously shown resistance to college coaching opportunities, Gruden is now open to considering such options given his current situation.
“If there’s a program out there that believes they could benefit from a candidate who can come in and rejuvenate the organization, I’ll be right here in Tampa,” Gruden noted. “I’ll be ready to step in if called upon.”
**Image Source:** Jon Gruden @ Instagram
