The Raiders on Saturday officially announced Jon Gruden is returning as their coach, and an "introductory news conference" is scheduled for tomorrow at 12:00pm PT, according to Matt Kawahara of the S.F. CHRONICLE. Gruden reportedly signed a 10-year contract worth around $100M. During his first stint with the Raiders from '98-'01, Gruden "became a popular figure for his fiery personality and facial contortions." The question now is "how will Gruden transition back into coaching" after spending the last night years in the "MNF" booth (S.F. CHRONICLE, 1/7). THE ATHLETIC's Vic Tafur noted Gruden's $100M deal is the "largest coaching deal in NFL history, resetting that job market." Raiders Owner Mark Davis is "shoving all of his poker chips in the middle" by giving Gruden such a large contract, as he will "make less money than only four players currently on the roster" in '18 (THEATHLETIC.com, 1/5). ESPN's Jim Trotter noted Gruden's deal "sets the floor for every other head coach now, particularly among the elite head coaches." Trotter: "While it's great for them, it's bad for owners" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 1/6).
SETTING A NEW PAY SCALE: NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported a $10M annual salary has "always been the number" Gruden was asking for when teams talked to him about their vacancies. Rapoport: "It has never been 10 years, $10 million (annually), but this has always been his target" ("Good Morning Football," NFL Network, 1/6). In S.F., Scott Ostler writes people around the NFL are "laughing" about the deal Davis is giving Gruden, as it is "not a contract; it’s an inheritance." The deal "blows up the salary scale for NFL coaches." Davis is "betting that Gruden will be the Raiders’ Jerry Tarkanian" in Las Vegas. Tarkanian, the longtime UNLV men's basketball coach, could "charm a rattlesnake, and Gruden has a gift for connecting with media and fans" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 1/8). NBC SPORTS BAY AREA's Ray Ratto wrote Gruden's deal is a "massive overpay by any definition, especially when you consider that Gruden's actual resume isn't as stellar as Raider fans both in the East Bay and across the universe desperately need it to be" (NBCSPORTSBAYAREA.com, 1/5). But CBSSN's London Fletcher said Davis "had to put an offer in front of Gruden that he couldn't refuse." Fletcher: "That's what he did." CBSSN's Adam Schein: "Jon Gruden is worth every single penny" ("That Other Pregame Show," CBSSN, 1/7).
IS THIS A SMART DEAL? THE MMQB's Peter King writes the total value of Gruden's deal seems a "little bit out of whack with even the NFL’s warped reality." The Raiders are paying Gruden $100M to "coach football for a decade." Only four NFL teams currently have coaches who h ave been there "for 10 seasons or longer." Say Gruden "lasts six, and gets fired." Imagine the Raiders owing him $40M, or "whatever the structure of the deal mandates he gets paid in the final four years of the deal." King: "I’m not saying I wouldn’t have done this if I were Davis. I’m saying the Raiders could end up paying Gruden a sick sum to not work if this doesn’t work out" (SI.com, 1/8). ESPN's Scott Van Pelt asked, "There was no number between 1 and 100 that was going to be enough?" Van Pelt: "I'm just baffled that this is where they landed in terms of the money. Because it's kind of like that Albert Pujols deal where, before it even starts, you ask yourself, what accomplishments will possibly justify this salary?” ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 1/6).
PUTTING IT IN CONTEXT: ESPN's Chris Mortensen referred to Gruden's contract and said, "“Some people say, ‘$100 million, 10 years. Wow!’ Listen, if Aaron Rodgers were a total unrestricted free agent, it would be $300 million." The Patriots' Bill Belichick is "still going to be the highest-paid coach in the NFL in terms of annual money." He makes in "excess of $10 million a year, probably around that $12 million mark." Mortensen: "If Sean Payton were an unrestricted free agent, if Mike Tomlin were an unrestricted free agent, this money would not seem crazy.” ESPN's Tim Hasselbeck: "If there were other coaches that were free agents, that had won a Super Bowl, they would demand a massive amount of money as well" (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 1/6).
PREPARING FOR VEGAS: In N.Y., Gary Myers wrote Gruden "makes sense with the Raiders moving to Las Vegas" in '20. He will "help sell tickets in a city that bets on football but has no track record of going to professional football games" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/7). In Boston, Ben Volin wrote the Raiders "needed a big-name hire as they prepare to sell tickets in Las Vegas, and they also need to show their new fans that they’re going to have some stability" (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/7). NFL Network's Deion Sanders said, "They are getting ready to go to Vegas. They’ve got to put butts in seats, they’ve got to sell a stadium out. This is a sexy hire. This is a good hire. This is a thing that gets people excited” (“NFL GameDay Prime,” NFL Network, 1/6). Fox' Howie Long: "It's a splash hire for the Vegas move. They start selling suites next month and then start selling PSLs in April" ("Fox NFL Sunday," 1/7). CBSSN's Amy Trask: "They've got a lot of expensive product to sell -- suites, club seats, sponsorships. This is going to help" ("That Other Pregame Show," CBSSN, 1/7). In Las Vegas, Alan Snel wrote sales and marketing people "will have a field day with Gruden coming to Las Vegas." He will "fit into Sin City quite nicely" (LVSPORTSBIZ.com, 1/7).
BACK IN THE BLACK HOLE: In Oakland, Jerry McDonald wrote having Gruden back "will be sublime, at least initially," for fans in Oakland. Gruden was a "magnet" with the East Bay fans in particular, and his charisma is "still there." McDonald: "As for the coaching part of it, we’ll have to wait and see how it evolves" (EAST BAY TIMES, 1/7). CBSSN's Trask noted Gruden has as many as three years to coach in Oakland before the team moves, and his presence will "excite and enthuse many of those magnificent, magnificent fans who have stuck with this them through thick and thin." It will "keep them enthused and engaged while the team's there" ("That Other Pregame Show," CBSSN, 1/7).
