Jon Gruden Eyes returns to coaching college football

Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden wants to return to coaching.

In an exclusive interview with CBS Sports' Brandon Marcelo, Gruden expressed a sincere interest in returning to the sidelines.

“Yes, I'm interested in coaching,” Gruden said. “My dad was a college coach, I was a college coach at Pitt, my wife was a cheerleader at Tennessee when I met her. Hell yeah, I'm interested in coaching. I know I can help a team. I know I can help young players. Help get better, and I know I can hire a good staff, and that's the only guarantee, but yeah, I'm interested in coaching at any level.”

While Gruden has expressed interest in coaching at any level, the college ranks appear to be the most likely path. After all, the Super Bowl-winning coach was fired from his head-coaching job with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021 after Gruden's anti-LGBTQ slurs and discriminatory emails directed at commissioner Roger Goodell emerged as part of Dan Snyder's investigation. Washington commanders. The Raiders fired Gruden as a result of the emails that were released, and Gruden has not coached since.

He is now open to hearing about college jobs in the situation he finds himself in.

“If there's somebody out there that thinks they need a candidate, somebody's going to come in, maybe turn it up a little bit, jazz it up a little bit, I'll be here in Tampa,” Gruden told Marcelo about the college coaching job. “I'll be ready to go if needed.”

It remains to be seen whether a college program will take a chance on Gruden given the disastrous end to his tenure with the Raiders, but he'll be ready if a college program comes calling.