Sean McDonough got hit in the feels saying goodbye to Jon Gruden (Video)
By Josh Hill
Sean McDonough and Jon Gruden haven’t had the best relationship, but that didn’t rob us of a surprisingly heartfelt farewell moment between the two.
The Chiefs weren’t the only ones who had their run this season ended at Arrowhead on Saturday. Jon Gruden called his final game for ESPN ahead of taking a job to become the head coach of the Oakland Raiders.
With Gruden’s final game in the books, it brings to an end a partnership with Sean McDonough that hasn’t been painted as being all that rosy. While the quality of the Monday Night games for ESPN hasn’t been that great, folks have tuned in to hear what a souring relationship sounded like in real time. Even on Saturday afternoon, Gruden took some digs at his booth partner and the common consensus on Twitter was that the Raiders coach probably couldn’t wait to leave McDonough behind and move to greener pastures.
No matter what the relationship was or wasn’t, we weren’t robbed of a heartfelt parting of the ways.
McDonough signed off by bidding farewell to Gruden and wishing him luck with the Raiders. What’s notable about this is that it appears McDonough got choked up saying goodbye to someone he’s spent so much time with.
Say what you will about their relationship not being peachy but that was a special moment. Maybe Gruden is just happy he’s getting out and heading to Oakland, but there didn’t appear to be any bad blood in that final moment between the two.
The emotion from McDonough makes it clear that these two have spent a lot of time together, and this parting of the ways is the end of an era — no matter how we’ve interpreted it along the way.