Tennessee football: Rejecting Vols would also be a loss for Jon Gruden
The Tennessee football Grumors have dominated Rocky Top this past week. But turning down the Volunteers would be just as much a loss for Jon Gruden.
By now, it’s pretty clear that Tennessee football is heavily interested in Jon Gruden. And if you’ve seen any of our previous reports, it seems that Gruden is at least entertaining the idea of going to Knoxville.
The Grumors reached a firestorm Thursday with separate news reports. And both were huge.
Two tweets from people connected to the program confirmed that John Currie was in Tampa trying to woo Gruden.
Have worked w/ @GrantRamey & we have confirmed John Currie/#Vols powerbrokers have been in Tampa since last night following their circuitous flight route to make ‘The Pitch’ to Gruden. Ramey will have full story.
— John Brice (@JohnDBrice1) November 16, 2017
I can confirm that 3 planes with Tennessee boosters & Admin were in Tampa last night. One plane picked up an individual in Chicago & stopped in Nashville & Knoxville before Tampa.
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) November 16, 2017
But then there was this disappointing report for Tennessee football fans later that night.
Well, we don’t know what to believe at this point. But while it’s clear Tennessee football is doing everything possible to force Gruden to say no, people are ignoring the fact that Gruden has as much to lose by rejecting the job as the Vols do.
Look, Gruden is 54. He’s on a sinking ship with Monday Night Football on ESPN. What happens to him if he stays on there until he’s 59, when the channel’s contract is up, and it’s not renewed? Where does he go next?
We also know he has a passion to get back into coaching, loves developing players, and has a goal to achieve a legacy.
By far his best chance to do that would be to go to Knoxville.
If he gets back into coaching by joining an NFL team, he’s at the mercy of the personnel he’s given to work with. Being out of the league for nearly a decade, he likely won’t have negotiating power for total control.
At the same time, even if he did win big, his success would likely be tied to the quarterback and the talent. People remember Warren Sapp from the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers more than Gruden.
However, if he goes to Knoxville, he completely controls his fate in his efforts to make Tennessee football great again. The Vols as a program already have a foundation. They just need a guy who can coach players.
Gruden can be that guy. He would be in perfect position to build a legacy and become a legend by winning championships in college and the NFL. And he’d make his wife happy by being close to her family. That always counts for something.
If he goes back to the pros off the bat, he could easily become just another fired coach in three years depending on the situation. And if he stays on Monday Night Football, he’s signing his future up for a world of uncertainty. For his own career, Tennessee football is his best move.
In fact, you could argue it’s a better move for him than the Vols. Tennessee football has an established legacy of over 100 years that’s not going anywhere. Right now, Gruden’s legacy is one Super Bowl and a broadcaster.