Jon Gruden has a career record of 122-116 as an NFL head coach, with a Super Bowl ring to his name.
Not long ago, before he landed back in the NFL as the head coach of the Raiders after a decade away from the sidelines working for ESPN as an analyst, Gruden's name was one of the hottest potential names for open jobs.
Well we could be approaching a time when Gruden is back in the mix for college jobs, as the veteran NFL coach shares that at 61 years old, he's still got a lot of good football left in him, and he's open to leading a college program.
"Hell yeah, I'm interested in coaching," Gruden recently told CBS Sports.
"I know I can help a team, I know I can help young players get better, and I know I can hire a good staff, and that's the only thing I can guarantee. But yeah, I'm very interested in coaching at any level, period."
So what type of football program would take a shot on Gruden, years after a program like Tennessee had fans banging the table and willing to sell their souls for for him?
Well, the NFL seems largely out of the question, as his retread attempt with the Raiders ended in scandal back in 2021 after emails surfaced of him using racial slurs were reportedly uncovered. He then turned around and sued the NFL claiming that commissioner Roger Goodell (along with others) leaked the emails to the media to get him fired.
According to conversations Brandon Marcello had in researching that question, he reached out to agents and athletic directors at a number of programs and there was no clear consensus.
Gruden will certainly continue to be a popular name among fan bases, but one SEC administrator called Gruden "untouchable" as a candidate, while a Group of Five AD said that Gruden would likely get an interview.
Still, Gruden hasn't coached college football since a stop as the receivers coach at Pitt in the early 90s. College football has undergone a dramatic shift over just the past three seasons with NIL and the transfer portal, but the argument could be made that the changing landscape is more like the NFL than it's ever been, so a Group of Five program could make a major splash with the addition of Gruden.
"If there's somebody out there that thinks they need a candidate, somebody to come in there, maybe lather it up a little bit, jazz it up a little bit, I'll be down here in Tampa. I'll be ready to go if needed," Gruden pitched for any ADs listening.
I'd argue Gruden overseeing a Group of Five program would be (at least) as entertaining as Coach Prime at Colorado. Embed some cameras with that program and coaches and fans would flock to watch.
Until that day comes, Gruden will have to be content to continue his YouTube Channel and study football at his FFCA facility.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.