Everyone is entitled to their wrong opinion about Jon Gruden

After a 16-year hiatus, Jon Gruden is back as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders, and people could not be more wrong about him.

When Jon Gruden was hired as the new head coach of the Oakland Raiders, many in Raider Nation went crazy. The team was coming off of a 6-10 record, and the coaching staff seemed to be out of touch with the locker room. The hiring of Gruden breathed new life into the organization, and people could not wait for him to get to work.

Now, just under two months into his second go around with the team, and people are already calling it a bad hire. The only question I have for those who feel he was the wrong choice is, Why?

Sure, Gruden hasn’t coached since 2008, when he failed to make the playoffs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but it is not like he has been under a rock. You could argue that Chucky spent more time watching film when he was out of the NFL, than other coaches who are actively employed did.

And this story about him wanting to abandon the analytics of the game — do you really think that Gruden would not use every avenue possible to show the entire football landscape that he is still one of the best coaches in the world. If you think otherwise, you have not been paying attention to the man who just happens to own a Super Bowl ring as a head coach.

Hate on Gruden all you want now, it won’t be the first time he’s proved his doubters wrong.

This Raiders team he is inheriting is not a 6-10 team, and it will not take long for him and his coaches to turn this thing around. Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther always had stingy defenses during his time with the Cincinnati Bengals, and offensive coordinator Greg Olson only turned Jared Goff into a Pro Bowl player last season.

Here is what we know about Gruden: He is going to outwork everybody in the building, and is going to make sure he makes a standard that the players live by. In addition, he has the kind of passion that has been missing from the Raiders sideline for some time. He is beloved by this fan base, and knows that his time with the Raiders is what made him the coach he is today.

In Derek Carr, Gruden has the best quarterback he has ever worked with, and that will show on the field this season. He is not going to let Carr get off easy with everything, and Carr’s work ethic is the stuff of legend already. This is a match made in Heaven, and you can believe Gruden is going to get every ounce of production out of him this season.

Throughout his time in the broadcast booth, Gruden always spoke to what the Raiders fan base means to him. He came so close to bringing a championship back to Oakland the first time around, so there is also unfinished business there this time around.

This is a good hire for not only the organization but the fans, as Gruden’s love for Raider Nation burns deep. He will have plenty of time to get used to using data, and reacting to the digital world, as the season does not kick off for another six months.

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The bottom line is, the coaching staff the Raiders had in place just did not work. Whether it was Jack Del Rio losing the room, or the fact that both coordinators had to be fired, the lack of leadership was evident. Gruden brings an entirely new feel to the organization, and his players will be fired up every Sunday to play for him.

Hate on Gruden all you want now, it won’t be the first time he’s proved his doubters wrong.