Tuesday’s PFT Live included a discussion about Jon Gruden’s return to coaching, and the transition he’ll need to make in his first year back after nearly a decade away from the sideline. And Gruden’s biggest adjustment will come from the reduced access to players during the offseason, and reduced practice time in the offseason and preseason.
That’s likely why Gruden is streamlining his playbook, and simplifying his play calls. To illustrate the complexity, Chris Simms ratted off one of Gruden’s play calls on the air. It actually was the most authoritative and forceful Simms has been during his first year on the show.
Simms then told a story to demonstrate Gruden’s intensity when it comes to working with his players. While honeymooning in Italy, Gruden repeatedly called Simms, asking when he was returning. Gruden was so relentless that Simms eventually cut the trip short by two days so that he could get back to work.
Raiders players like Derek Carr likely have already gotten a taste of life with Gruden, who actually seems to have mellowed and become more self-aware during his time away from the sport. We’ll have to wait for some of Carr’s stories to see whether Gruden actually is going a little easier on the players.
