Jerry Jones reacts to Jon Gruden NFL coaching rumors

Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden is a trendy name in this year’s head coaching hiring cycle; Will the Dallas Cowboys have interest in the former Super Bowl champion?

Of course, that will first depend on whether the Cowboys retain Mike McCarthy, whose contract expires Jan. 14. Team owner Jerry Jones, speaking Friday on 105.3 The Fan, was asked about Gruden and the reports linking him as a head coaching candidate around the league. Jones went the no comment route.

“I just don’t have any comment there at all,” Jones said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “Jon is a friend, and let’s leave it at that.”

Gruden, 61, has been out of football since resigning as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders Oct. 11, 2021. He resigned from his position after the NFL conducted an investigation into the Washington Commanders for workplace misconduct in which emails Gruden sent then Washington general manager Brad Allen containing racist, misogynistic and homophobic language were discovered. Gruden sent the emails from 2011-18.

Gruden went 22-31 in his second stint with the Raiders (2018-21). In his first stint, 1998-2001, Las Vegas went 38-26 under Gruden. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers acquired Gruden from the Raiders ahead of the 2002 season, and he hoisted the Lombardi Trophy with Tampa Bay in his first season at the helm. Gruden went 57-55 in seven seasons with the Buccaneers, fired following a 9-7 finish to the 2008 campaign.

Gruden joined ESPN‘s Monday Night Football booth in 2009, where he remained until deciding to get back into coaching in 2018. He recently signed a multiyear deal with Barstool Sports.

NFL insider: ‘Keep an eye on Jon Gruden’ in 2025 head coaching cycle

Appearing earlier this week on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football,” NFL insider Tom Pelissero said to “keep an eye” on Gruden as a candidate for head coaching jobs in 2025.

“Kee- an eye on Jon Gruden. We have not seen Gruden on a full-time basis in the NFL since back in 2021 when he resigned after offensive emails were leaked to the media that he had sent while working as an analyst at ESPN,” Pelissero said. “However, he has remained engaged. We saw him on the sideline with the Bucs owners earlier this fall. We saw him working with the Saints back in training camp last year.

“My understanding is if he wanted the Saints offensive coordinator job last year, he could have had it. He ultimately decided he was not going to do that. But I can tell you though, it’s not to say for sure that Jon Gruden will be back. But there are multiple teams that have been doing extensive homework on Jon Gruden- the situation, him as a coach, him as a person. I would not be surprised at all if in the coming weeks, you see Jon Gruden’s name popping up interviewing for a head coaching job.”