Gruden signs multiyear contract with ESPN (1 Viewer)

[drfeelgood]

For those hoping he would go back to coaching next season, he has signed a multiyear extension with ESPN.

link

ESPN "Monday Night Football" analyst and former longtime NFL coach Jon Gruden has agreed to a multiyear extension with the network.

Gruden, who joined ESPN in September to replace Tony Kornheiser in the MNF booth, will also appear on ESPN's Super Bowl week and NFL Draft coverage, will call the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl and will serve as an analyst for ESPN Radio's 2010 Rose Bowl and BCS title game broadcasts, where he will again team with MNF play-by-play caller Mike Tirico.

"Working with Mike, [Ron Jaworski] and our entire Monday Night Football team is the most fun I have had in years, and I am fired up to make this long-term commitment to ESPN," Gruden said in a statement. "Monday Night Football is special and I look forward to remaining a part of it and continuing to call these great games."

Gruden, fired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Jan. 16, was the winningest coach in Bucs history (60-57 in seven seasons) and led Tampa Bay to victory in Super Bowl XXXVII. He also has coached the Oakland Raiders.

"Jon has truly reinvented himself, from a Super Bowl-winning head coach to one of the foremost NFL analysts in the business, and the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive," said Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president of production. "We are thrilled with his commitment to ESPN, which ensures that Jon will continue on Monday Night Football with Mike and Jaws, and he will have the opportunity to do even more with ESPN."

Gruden began his NFL coaching career in 1990 when Mike Holmgren, then offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers, hired him as an assistant in charge of quality control. Gruden quickly ascended through the ranks by learning the famed West Coast offense pioneered by longtime 49ers coach Bill Walsh.

When Holmgren left the 49ers to become head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 1992, he named Gruden the Packers' wide receivers coach. After three seasons in Green Bay, Gruden moved on to become the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive coordinator under head coach Ray Rhodes. In 1998, Gruden was chosen by Oakland owner and general manager Al Davis to be the Raiders' new head coach at age 34.

A native of Sandusky, Ohio, Gruden grew up in a football family. His father, Jim, served as an assistant at Notre Dame in the late 1970s and later with the Buccaneers. Gruden graduated from the University of Dayton, where he was a backup quarterback. After graduation, he started his career as a graduate assistant at Tennessee in 1986. He also served as the quarterbacks coach at Southeast Missouri State (1987-88) and the wide receivers coach at both Pacific (1989) and Pittsburgh (1991) in the college ranks.

 

[TommyGilmore]

I wonder what ESPN's mentality was. "Well, he talks a lot, so he must be good."

 

[Phurfur]

Great, I am already sick of his act!

This does not mean he can't coach next year, I think he is covering his bases.

 

[Limp Ditka]

I'm sure there isn't a "I got a coaching gig, see you guys later" clause in that contract.

 

[todisco1]

I like him as an announcer.

 

[LHUCKS]

I like him as an announcer.

Jaws and Tirico are terrible though.

 

[drfeelgood]

I like him as an announcer.

I do too.

 

[Jason Wood]

As others have said, this does nothing but add some financial stability to his life as a broadcaster. Bill Parcells rolled right back into coaching, as have many other analysts in all major professional sports. I'm sure if the right situation opened up, Gruden would go back but the fact he's enjoying broadcasting presumably allows him to be choosier about his next opportunity. I still say Notre Dame or an NFL franchise he felt he could win with quickly would still trump any 'long term' deal.

 

[Knobs]

I really doubt he would be opposed to returning as a coach in the conditions were right, but right now he has a pretty sweet job as well.

I really like him as an announcer.

 

[switz]

Gruden is the next Madden. His color commentary is in the same mode as Madden's and lots of people love it.

 

[todisco1]

I like him as an announcer.

Jaws and Tirico are terrible though.

I don't like Jaws in the booth at all, though I do enjoy when he breaks down quarterbacks on other ESPN shows. Tirico is whatever.

 

[Mr.Blonde]

Gruden is the next Madden. His color commentary is in the same mode as Madden's and lots of people love it.

I was thinking this too, and then I asked myself, "Am I nuts for thinking this?"

 

[Da Guru]

I like him as an announcer.

Jaws and Tirico are terrible though.

+2 Love Chuckie in the booth. Tirico get overpowered by Jaws.

 

[Tenacious]

I like him as an announcer.

I do too.

Agreed. Gruden could be the next John Madden. He's the best in the business today IMHO.Now they just need to dump Jaws.

 

[scrumptrulescent]

Gruden thinks that contract offer is "great". Gruden believes Tirico is "awesome". Gruden "loves" Jaws. Gruden feels that a coaching offer would be "fantastic".

 

[CrossEyed]

I like him as an announcer.

I do too.

+1

 

[TheDirtyWord]

Big fan of Gruden in the booth. Hope he stays, but I understand that this is nothing more than window dressing.

 

[StrikeS2k]

How could anyone NOT like Gruden in the booth considering what he replaced?

 

[Bad_Mo]

Dat Guy knows how to cover his bases.

Well, that and a 14-foot diameter with his legs when sitting in the booth.

 

[ChargersOH]

Gruden thinks that contract offer is "great". Gruden believes Tirico is "awesome". Gruden "loves" Jaws. Gruden feels that a coaching offer would be "fantastic".

I'm hoping we'll get a bit deeper analysis, and more thoughts on playcalling.Currently, 80% of his talk is rah rah BS. "That guy is a FOOTBALL player!"No ####, sherlock. What are his strengths and weaknesses? If he's such a football player at middle linebacker, why does the other team have 175 yards rushing in the first half?Jaws irks me, but he isn't shining anyones knob out there, just giving his opinion, albeit it in boring, monotone, I've watched too much f'ckin film tones.

 

[CMU37484]

Yea, it means diddly poo as far as coaching is concerned, just lets him know he's on as an announcer in this gig if he chooses to keep doing it.

If anyone thinks he stinks as an announcer so be it.............I like him, but I also realize that I have been forced to listen to Tony Kornhole and Dennis Miller in the past. So a guy who speaks candidly and intelligently about football is nice.

And as a Lions homer I'll take Gruden over Matt Millen any day.

 

[Sweet Love]

I think you need to look at his personal situation to truly understand this move. I know he is "covering his bases" as far as coaching in the future goes, but he was the poster-boy for "sleeping in the training facility" and his exploits were made famous by Spurrier basically saying, that is not how to live. He is roughly 44 now, has a family, made his millions, and will continue to make 1 million+ in this role (plus other gigs); I remember some random piece on him talking about how he had these little kids and he never saw them or his wife. That does not fly in this day and age. For those that married, you know where I am going, for those that are not, climb aboard. No woman is going to stand for that coaching nonsense, IF said breadwinner can make decent (and I think he will make "decent" money with ESPN), in a job that will not take him out of the home 24/7 (like he was doing). I am guessing his kids are in the 5-12 range, and she (and also he) wants him to be there on a more consistent basis. He is good at this TV-thing, Madden is gone and maybe he can do this for the next 20+ years and be EXTREMELY successful.

Hey, this may be a stretch, but it would not surprise me if this were the case. I live close to Cowher here in raleigh, and have seen him about 1 dozen times (mostly in the supermarket...which is hilarious to watch BTW), and he looks like to most well-rested, healthy and happy person on the planet. Hey, he could go back to looking like Jeff Van Gundy (the oldest 35 year-old ever to live), but my guess is that if he does not take the Redskins or Carolina job THIS year, he will be in the booth for good.

 

[Kitrick Taylor]

This just makes his bargaining position with any interested NFL team that much stronger.

If he sees the right opportunity, (ahem, Green Bay) he's now got another chip for the bargaining table.

Don't know what he's making with ESPN, but if it's 1 million/year, gotta believe that 5 million a year would make him walk for a NFL job.

 

[GreatLakesMike]

I like him as an announcer.

Jaws and Tirico are terrible though.

I don't like Jaws in the booth at all, though I do enjoy when he breaks down quarterbacks on other ESPN shows. Tirico is whatever.

Get rid of Jaws, and just let Gruden and Tirico do the games.

 

[Mookie Blaylock]

I like him as an announcer.

Jaws and Tirico are terrible though.

I don't like Jaws in the booth at all, though I do enjoy when he breaks down quarterbacks on other ESPN shows. Tirico is whatever.

Get rid of Jaws, and just let Gruden and Tirico do the games.

Yes. And I don't understand the anti-Tirico stuff. He does his job. Jaws is the one that needs to go.