Jon Gruden Reaching Out To Assistants About Possibly Joining Staff

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that this year may actually be different for Jon Gruden in terms of finally returning to the NFL as a head coach.

According to Rapoport, Gruden has been reaching out to assistant and former coaches in the industry to see if they were potentially available to join his staff if he took a head-coaching job.

Rapoport adds that the Buccaneers would be Gruden’s preferred destination and current HC Dirk Koetter is believed to be on the hot seat.

It would obviously take a lot of money to convince him to return.

This comes just a few days after Tom Pelissero of NFL Media mentioned that he continues to speak with “wired-in NFL people” who are convinced that the Buccaneers are going to make a serious run at luring Gruden back to the NFL as their head coach, replacing Koetter.

Pelissero says it will take a “mammoth” contract to convince Gruden to leave ESPN. However, Pelissero adds that “word is Gruden is more inclined than ever to consider it, and there are reasons to think the team that fired him nine years ago makes a lot of sense.”

There have been concerns about Bucs QB Jameis Winston and his lack of development, but Gruden said during ESPN’s broadcast Monday night that he believes in his potential.

Multiple reports from the past few months have mentioned that this seriously one possibility worth watching, even though Gruden has resisted returning to the NFL for several years.

Gruden, 54, began his coaching career with the Raiders back in 1998. He was actually traded to the Buccaneers in 2002 after years in Oakland.

During Gruden’s 11-year coaching career, he posted a record of 95 and 81 (.540) to go along with four division titles and a Super Bowl Championship with the Buccaneers.

We’ll have more regarding Gruden and the Buccaneers as the news is available.