NFL reporter Steve Corkran reported Jon Gruden will be introduced as the new coach of the Oakland Raiders in a “splashy” news conference … whatever that means.
Then again, for the money Gruden will reportedly get for the Raiders, this introductory press conference shouldn’t just be a splash, it should be a soaking fun time:
Raiders are giving new head coach Jon Gruden a 10-year contract, the longest coaching deal in NFL history, sources tell ESPN. The deal is likely to be worth about $100 million.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 5, 2018
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Gruden will receive the longest coaching deal in NFL history, a 10-year pact that is believed to be worth nearly $100 million. Now, let that sink in for a moment.
One. Hundred. Million.
To put it in perspective, there were 26 players who signed $100 million contracts in the league’s history as of August 2017, and none of them had that much money guaranteed. Though, Matthew Stafford’s $92 million in guarantees is as close as it gets.
Gruden coached the Raiders from 1998 to 2001, put up a 38-26 record in the four-year stretch in which his teams made two postseason appearances. After the Raiders lost the now-infamous “Tuck Rule Game” to the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Round in 2001, Gruden was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (yeah, that happened) to replace Tony Dungy. The deal included first-round picks in 2002 and 2003, second-round selections in 2002 and 2004, and cash considerations.
The 54-year-old coach-turned-broadcaster-turned-coach-again has been in the ESPN broadcast booth since 2009 when he replaced Tony Kornheiser as an analyst on Monday Night Football. He also chipped in on the college football action and was the star of Jon Gruden’s QB Camp where he brought in top draft prospects for a NFL-like development process.
Gruden will inherit a Raiders team that went 25-23 under Jack Del Rio, but floundered to a 6-10 record in 2017. Oakland was one of the favorites to compete for a Super Bowl run with a healthy (and handsomely rich) Derek Carr who helped lead the team to a 12-4 season in 2016. But the team took a step back, leading us to today, with Gruden taking over.