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Jon Gruden is a brilliant hire for the Raiders, and here’s why

By Thomas Wheaton

5 Nov 2001: Jon Gruden head coach of the Oakland Raiders shouts on the sideline in their game versus the Denver Broncos at Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Raiders won 38-28. DIGITAL IMAGE Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn/Allsport
5 Nov 2001: Jon Gruden head coach of the Oakland Raiders shouts on the sideline in their game versus the Denver Broncos at Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Raiders won 38-28. DIGITAL IMAGE Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn/Allsport /
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1. There are a myriad of different coaches Gruden could recruit

When a team is hiring a new coach, a lot of thought goes into who the new coach will bring with him. Typically, the new coach brings in someone they have worked on a staff with before or even played with back in the day. The good thing about Gruden is that his potential pool of assistants is not limited to people he has coached with.

Part of his job with ESPN included meeting with coaches, general managers, personnel people, etc. Gruden has met and developed relationships with a lot of people over the course of his career that he could possibly bring with him to Oakland.

Some names that have already been thrown around include John Morton, Paul Guenther, Rich Gannon, Bill Callahan, Rich Bisaccia, and Brian Heimerdinger. Morton, currently the offensive coordinator for the Jets, has done a terrific job in a tough situation this season. He helped turn Josh McCown into a legitimate quarterback and revamped the Jets offense into a real threat. Paul Guenther was the defensive coordinator for the Bengals since 2005. Now that he is no longer under contract, he could be another person Gruden brings with him.

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There are a lot of quality names on the list above, and many more that I did not include. With all of his connections, Gruden has the ability to assemble an all-star coaching staff in Oakland. There is a tremendous amount of talent in Oakland, but if the coaching is not there, they will not succeed. We saw it firsthand this season. If Gruden can get some big name coaches to join him, the Raiders could be legitimate Super Bowl contenders in the near future.

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