Jon Gruden started his professional coaching career at the University of Tennessee in 1986. Nearly 37 years later, the Super Bowl champion coach reportedly wants to return to his roots by becoming the next head coach of the University of South Florida Bulls.
JP Peterson, the host of The JP Peterson Show, said Monday that Jon Gruden wants the job.
I spoke with 2 people very close to the @USFFootball program and also friends with Jon Gruden and I can confirm Gruden Definitely has interest in the USF job. Gruden is very close to many USF boosters. Obviously there are many hurdles to overcome politically. Thoughts? #Gruden pic.twitter.com/tSRxaGMxww
— JP Peterson (@FanStreamJP) November 7, 2022
“[I] spoke with 2 people very close to the South Florida program and also friends with Jon Gruden and I can confirm Gruden Definitely has interest in the USF job. Gruden is very close to many USF boosters. Obviously there are many hurdles to overcome politically,” Peterson tweeted.
The political hurdles reference Gruden’s end with his former employer, the Las Vegas Raiders. A league investigation into Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder revealed that Gruden had used racist, misogynistic and homophobic language about NFL players, referees, and executives while working as an analyst for ESPN. Gruden resigned in October of 2021.
Though Gruden started in the college ranks in his first four seasons as coach, he moved to the NFL in 1990 when he took a job coaching tight ends with the San Francisco 49ers. He earned his first head coaching position with the then-Oakland Raiders in 1993. He most famously won Super Bowl XXXVII with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003.