Background:
Gruden was a rising star from the word go. He got his start in football way back in 1986 at Tennessee. In just four short years he rose up through the college ranks and became an offensive assistant for the San Francisco 49ers in 1990. There he learned at the knee of offensive coordinator and future head coach Mike Holmgren.
After a quick bounce back to college in ’91 he was brought in by Holmgren to coach the wide receivers with the Green Bay Packers. After three seasons he was hired as offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles at age 32. Under his watch the Eagles offense went from 25th to 5th in three seasons. That earned him a head coaching job at age 35 with the Oakland Raiders.
He quickly turned the team around and after two-straight 8-8 seasons won the division two years in-a-row. Apparently that wasn’t good enough for owner Al Davis. He made the unusual decision to trade Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002. That move would prove to be disastrous. Gruden sparked the Buccaneers to the Super Bowl that same year, where they would beat the Raiders handily 48-21.
Gruden made the playoffs twice more in the coming years before choosing to retire in 2009 at age 46. He’s been an analyst on ESPN for the past eight years.
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Qualifications:
There is no doubting the fact that Gruden is an offensive specialist. He was considered one of the best minds of his era and the stats prove it. Six times during his run as a coordinator and head coach his offenses finished in the top 10. No position benefited more from his presence than the quarterbacks. Players like Rich Gannon, Brad Johnson and Jeff Garcia reached Pro Bowls under his watch.
He also developed a strong reputation for success. In 11 years as a head coach he finished with a losing record only four times. He made the playoffs five times and won a playoff game in three of those trips. He also of course has a Super Bowl ring as mentioned earlier. That brings a load of prestige in and of itself.
Above anything Gruden was best known for his maniacal attention to detail. He woke up early, stayed up late and never ceased in his drive to find an advantage. Preparation and information were his greatest strengths.
Concerns:
There are a few factors working against Gruden. Let’s start with the most obvious. He hasn’t coached for a long time. There is a history of coaches making returns after long absences not having the same success they did prior. He’s 54-years old and will be 55 before the start of next season. This isn’t the same spring chicken from back then. Of course he’s remained plugged into the league over that time but the types of players have changed from his day.
Also a persistent issue over his time was the defenses. In Oakland the units were decent but not top tier. The all-time one he coached in 2002 was already built by his predecessor, Tony Dungy. That sustained through the rest of his tenure in Tampa. It’s hard to say whether he can actually build a top unit without help.
Then there’s the matter of motivation. What does Gruden really have to gain at this point by coming back? He doesn’t need the money. He’s made millions at his job with ESPN. He already has his ring. History shows that coaches who win a title and step away from the game then return don’t get to those heights again. It was true of Hank Stram, Tom Flores, Mike Ditka, Bill Parcells, George Seifert, Jimmy Johnson, Mike Holmgren, and Dick Vermeil. Nobody has ever done it in the Super Bowl era.
Connections:
Gruden is a personable guy and he’s also a football guy. He recognizes football talent when he sees it. That goes for players but also coaches. One merely needs to look at his staff in 2008 right before he retired for an idea. Four future head coaches were in that group including Gus Bradley, Raheem Morris, Sean McVay and his brother Jay Gruden.
Hard as he works Gruden can’t do everything himself. It takes a great staff to put a team in position to win a championship. He’s demonstrated he can do that. His vast reach across the football landscape courtesy of his analyst job is also a big help towards this. He’s gotten to know coaches from every team in the league.
That matters because he’ll have more numbers to dial if he does return.
Bottom Line:
The reputation alone would generate headlines. The Chicago Bears have never hired a former head coach who has a Super Bowl ring. Mike Ditka was the closest they came. He was assistant head coach in Dallas prior to joining the team in 1982. Gruden would certainly bring credibility to the job.
Problem is Fox was supposed to do the same thing and look how that ended up. Gruden also comes with a shelf life. Most coaches reach their primes in the late 40s to early 50s. Gruden is at the tail end of that. Sure there are exceptions but that’s the typical rule. The Bears have already tried two-straight coaches who were on the older side in Trestman and Fox. Does Gruden really have that same edge he used to?
At the same time it’s hard to deny the man would make a great match for Mitch Trubisky. He never had a young talent with that kind of ability during his years in Oakland or Tampa Bay. The allure of having that chance must be gnawing at him. For the Bears to have a proven quarterback guru like Gruden watch over Mitch is hard to pass up.
