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According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, former National Football League (NFL) head coach and Super Bowl champion Jon Gruden has a new job as he joins Barstool Sports on a multi-year contract. The announcement comes as Gruden transitions from his previous coaching career to a new role in the media landscape.
Gruden’s introduction at Barstool Sports
The news broke when Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy shared Schefter's post, accompanied by a playful video showing Barstool employees struggling to run a play correctly. Enter Gruden, who steps in to demonstrate how it's done.
As he coaches them up, the previously disinterested employees begin to show more enthusiasm, with the screen cutting to a welcome message for the former coach. The lighthearted video marks the beginning of Gruden’s new venture with Barstool.
A storied coaching career
Jon Gruden’s coaching career spans decades, beginning in 1986 as a graduate assistant at Tennessee. By 1990, he landed his first NFL assistant coach job. Gruden’s big break came in 1998 when he became head coach of the Oakland Raiders. In a rare turn of events, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002, where he led the team to a Super Bowl victory over his former Raiders team in Super Bowl XXXVII.
Gruden’s coaching record is 117-112 in regular-season games, with a 5-4 postseason record and one Super Bowl title. Throughout his career, he earned five division titles and developed a reputation as a fiery, innovative coach.
Media career and controversy
After his coaching stint with the Buccaneers, Gruden transitioned to media, joining ESPN as a colour commentator for Monday Night Football. He also contributed to ESPN’s NFL Draft coverage and hosted his own show, Jon Gruden’s QB Camp, where he mentored young quarterbacks. His tenure at ESPN was marked by success, but it ended in 2017 when Gruden returned to coaching with the Raiders.
Gruden’s second stint with the Raiders, however, was marred by controversy. In 2021, a series of emails containing offensive language and inappropriate content came to light, leading to his resignation as head coach. The fallout from the scandal also resulted in Gruden being removed from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ring of Honor.
Gruden’s role at Barstool Sports
Following his resignation from the Raiders, Gruden briefly worked with the New Orleans Saints in an advisory role, focusing on helping former Raiders quarterback Derek Carr adjust to life with the Saints.
Now, Gruden is set to carve out a new path with Barstool Sports, though his exact role with the company remains unclear. Given his high-profile name in the football world and his proven media success, it’s expected that Gruden will take on multiple roles at Barstool, further cementing his place in the football and media landscape.
