Total Pro Sports
Former Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden has sparked comeback rumors after attending the practice of a top NFL team on Monday.
Jon Gruden stepped down as head coach of the Raiders in the 2021 season, after old emails of his containing homophobic, racist and misogynistic language were leaked. He had six seasons remaining on the 10-year, $100 million contract signed with the Raiders in 2018.
Gruden spent the 2023 season as an offensive consultant for the New Orleans Saints and was subsequently hired by Barstool Sports last year. But is a return to the sidelines already in the works for Chucky?
The former “Monday Night Football” analyst spoke to reporters at the Detroit Lions practice on Monday. Interestingly, he was wearing a team hat and a long-sleeved shirt.
Jon Gruden also raved about Lions quarterback Jared Goff, comparing him to Hall of Famer and four-time Super Bowl champion Joe Montana. Naturally, that has led to speculation from fans that the Lions are bringing Chucky aboard.
“I hate to throw comparisons out, but the continuous movement that he plays with, he always reminded me of Montana, from the days I was with the 49ers,” Gruden said.
Jon Gruden just told me Jared Goff reminds him of Joe Montana
“One tough cat in the pocket” pic.twitter.com/oV33H4rN2K— DetroitSportsPodcast (@DetroitPodcast) July 28, 2025
Jon Gruden here at the #Lions practice today in team gear. Says he still has the coaching bug and likes to see how Dan Campbell and the team operates in practice. pic.twitter.com/Cg3LY9xvg8
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) July 28, 2025
Goff and the Lions will kick off their 2025 season with a road game against the NFC North rival Green Bay Packers on Sept. 7 (4:25 p.m. EST).
Gruden has worked with plenty of great quarterbacks during his career as a football coach. He worked with Montana and Steve Young in 1990 as an offensive assistant, with Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers, Randall Cunningham’s Philadelphia Eagles, future MVP winner Rich Gannon in Oakland and later Derek Carr.
Jon Gruden has seen it all as a football coach, so it’s certainly noteworthy when someone like him compares Jared Goff to Joe Montana. Now, if Goff could just start adding championship rings to the collection.
