Jon Gruden is Appearing as Candidate For Head Coach Hiring Cycle: Report

Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden was removed from the league back in 2021 after a string of emails surfaced between him and then Washington Commanders general manager Bruce Allen. The context of the emails contained racist, misogynistic, and homophobic slurs.

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The result of the leaked emails led to Gruden resigning as the head coach of the Raiders, and all but removed him from the league. Since his exit, Gruden has been appearing as a consultant since 2023. First, he was hired by the New Orleans Saints in 2023, and then he was seen with the Kansas City Chiefs during training camp in 2024.

Despite the controversy surrounding Gruden, he is reportedly appearing as a name in the upcoming 2025 head coach hiring cycle. According to a report from Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, the controversial former coach has been appearing in searches.

“Yes, Jon Gruden’s name has been percolating for weeks as a potential candidate in the coming coaching carousel. At one level, it’s no surprise. Beyond Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and former Titans coach Mike Vrabel, there are no no-brainer candidates for 2025. At another level, it’s stunning. Gruden has an active lawsuit against the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell,” Florio stated.

The biggest issue, other than the reasons he resigned from the Raiders head coach position, Florio mentions is that Gruden still has an open lawsuit against the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell.

According to a report from AP in October, “Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden will get a full Nevada Supreme Court review of a lawsuit he filed against the NFL over emails leaked to the media before he resigned from the team in 2021.”

Gruden still has an ongoing case, so his being hired to lead an NFL team might be a bit dubious at this time. Even if there are multiple positions that will be open in 2025.

There are candidates who do not have any controversies currently, such as the aforementioned Mike Vrabel, who saw his consulting agreement with the Cleveland Browns end on Monday. Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson should also fetch plenty of interviews when the season concludes.

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The New York Jets and Chicago Bears have already fired their head coaches and will begin an extensive search for a replacement. Several other teams might also choose to move on from their current situations like the New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders, and New York Giants.

Either way, it would be believed that Vrabel and Johnson would land one of those jobs with ease. Gruden returning to the league right now with an open lawsuit, is likely to keep his name fully out of the running.

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