Jon Gruden’s Shocking Confession: Why Coaching in the SEC Would Be a Dream—At Any Cost

Gruden was an ESPN analyst from 2009 to 2017 before he returned to coach the Oakland and Las Vegas Raiders from 2018 to 2021. Then he served as a consultant for the New Orleans Saints in 2023.

Now a media personality with Barstool Sports, Jon Gruden made it clear in a recent meeting with the Georgia Bulldogs that he not only wants to return to coaching, but make his head coaching debut in the SEC, more specifically.

He’s won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and coached the Raiders twice. Why not give the best conference in college football a shot?

“The only reason I really came here is because I want to coach again,” Gruden said on Inside The FFCA. “I’m being honest with you. I do not bullsh** either. I want to coach again. I’d die to coach in the SEC. I would love it. I would f***ing love it. I’ll let you guys this… what I know about the SEC is it’s getting harder. The SEC is getting harder. They tell me Texas is in the SEC. They tell me Oklahoma is in the SEC. G**damn.”

Jon Gruden — yes, that Jon Gruden — is tossing his hat into the SEC ring, and honestly, it’s got me buzzing. The former NFL head coach, who’s no stranger to championship glory and sideline drama, is itching for a fresh challenge, and guess what? He wants it college football big time, right in the heart of the SEC. Now a media personality cutting through the noise with Barstool Sports, Gruden’s recent sit-down with the Georgia Bulldogs made one thing crystal clear: he’s not just available, he’s hungry to lead a team in college football’s toughest conference. From Super Bowl glory with the Bucs to rolling the dice twice in Oakland — and a brief consultancy stop with the Saints — Gruden’s resume reads like a locker room saga. And let’s not overlook his recent viral unboxing of a care package from Kentucky basketball — a nostalgic stroll through the Cat’s storied hoops history that only adds flavor to this intriguing crossover possibility. Could we soon see Chucky coaching against Kentucky? Stranger things have happened in the SEC’s ever-intensifying landscape. Buckle up — this just might be the start of a wild new chapter. LEARN MORE

“Basketball? Coach Pope? I love Kentucky Basketball. They said they might send something. You know, when I was a kid, Kentucky Basketball, that was our archrival. Joe B. Hall was the head coach. Goose Givens. Rick Robey. Kyle Macy. But you learned to love them. They’ve got SGA, Karl-Anthony Towns. John Wall. What a tradition.

Chucky to the SEC? The 61-year-old is letting the league that just means more know that he is, in fact, available.

“… You ever heard of DeMarcus Cousins? They used to have a guy named “Sky” Walker. He had like a 58-inch vertical jump. How about Rick Pitino, man? Rick Pitino is the greatest coach of all time. … Thank you, Coach Pope. It’s our time of the year. Playoff time. Wildcats!”

Now, he’s going viral unboxing gift packages from college teams, including the Kentucky Wildcats — he opened that one from Mark Pope ahead of March Madness. That video included him talking through memories of the Cats as he struggled to cut through the packing tape.

Could he be coaching against Kentucky in the SEC before long? For Kentucky, before long? Who knows, but he’s interested in throwing his hat in the ring.