Any thoughts of Jon Gruden leaving ESPN to return to coach the Oakland Raiders can now be put to rest.
The network announced a contract extension for their Monday Night Football broadcast analyst during halftime of the game between the New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears on Monday night. The deal extends Gruden’s deal with the network through the 2021 season.
Play-by-play man Mike Tirico said on the broadcast that the deal will keep Gruden “out of coaching.”
That’s likely true, at least in the interim.
Gruden’s name will still be thrown in the mix for any number of head coaching vacancies in the future. However, the new deal would seem to eliminate him from contention for any openings this offseason, including his former job in Oakland.
