Report: Cleveland Browns Could Pursue Jon Gruden In Head Coaching Search

December 9, 2012; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers former head coach Jon Gruden talks during a presentation celebrating the 10th anniversary of the 2002 Super Bowl Champions during halftime against the Philadelphia Eagles at Raymond James Stadium. The Eagles won 23-21. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Now that the apple of their eye, Oregon head coach Chip Kelly, decided to leave the Cleveland Browns at the alter, the team is being forced to regroup and reboot their search for a new head coach.

One of the names that is now surfacing for the Browns head coaching gig is Super Bowl winning head coach Jon Gruden, per the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Mary Kay Cabot writes:

"Gruden, 49, is a native of Sandusky, Ohio, and played quarterback at the University of Dayton. He also has ties to Browns owner Jimmy Haslam from his time as a graduate assistant at Tennessee in 1985-86. His wife, Cindy, is a former University of Tennessee cheerleader.Earlier this season, Haslam denied a report by WREG-TV in Memphis, Tenn. that he offered Gruden a stake in the Browns if he’d coach the Volunteers.If Haslam decides to go after Gruden, he’d have to lure him out of his comfortable seat in ESPN’s Monday Night Football booth and as an ESPN analyst. Gruden signed a five-year extension with ESPN in September and has said he loves his job. Friends say he’ll only leave the booth for the ideal situation."

Gruden is often targeted and linked to head coach openings, so we will have to wait and see if this latest rumor has any legs. If the Browns do find a way to land Gruden, it will make the fanbase quickly forget about the failed chase of Chip Kelly.

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