History of Jon Gruden in Timeline
Jon Gruden is a former American football coach and media personality. He achieved significant success as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders (1998-2001, 2018-2021) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002-2008), leading the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl XXXVII victory. Gruden also had a prominent career as a color commentator for ESPN's Monday Night Football. His coaching career ended abruptly in 2021 after emails containing racist, misogynistic, and homophobic remarks surfaced, leading to his resignation from the Raiders. He is currently employed by Barstool Sports.
August 17, 1963: Jon Gruden Born
On August 17, 1963, Jon David Gruden was born. He would later become a football coach and media personality.
1982: Graduation from Clay High School
In 1982, Jon Gruden graduated from Clay High School in South Bend, Indiana.
1985: Meeting his Wife
In 1985, Jon Gruden met his wife while he was working as a graduate assistant and she was a student at the University of Tennessee.
1985: Graduate Assistant Coach at University of Tennessee
In 1985, Jon Gruden was hired as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Tennessee.
1986: Graduates from University of Dayton
In 1986, Jon Gruden graduated with a degree in communications from the University of Dayton.
1988: "Chucky" Nickname Origin
In 1988, the movie "Child's Play" was released. During Jon Gruden's tenure with the Raiders, defensive lineman Grady Jackson, thought that the coach looked like the fictional character "Chucky" from the movie "Child's Play" and gave him that nickname.
1989: Offensive Assistant at University of the Pacific
In 1989, Jon Gruden became an offensive assistant and tight ends coach at the University of the Pacific.
1990: Special Assistant with the San Francisco 49ers
In 1990, Jon Gruden was a special assistant with the San Francisco 49ers, working under quarterbacks coach Mike Holmgren.
1990: Raiders First Division Title
In 2000, the Oakland Raiders won their first division title since 1990.
March 1991: Becomes Wide Receivers Coach at University of Pittsburgh
In March 1991, Jon Gruden became the wide receivers coach for the University of Pittsburgh under head coach Paul Hackett.
1991: Marriage to his Wife
In 1991, Jon Gruden married his wife. They have three sons.
1991: Worst Record Since 1991
In 2006, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had their worst record since 1991, failing to win more than four games.
January 1992: Hired by Green Bay Packers
In January 1992, Jon Gruden was hired by Mike Holmgren, his former boss at the San Francisco 49ers, to be the special offensive assistant/wide receivers coach with the Green Bay Packers.
1992: Highest Average Playoff Margin of Victory
In 1992, The Dallas Cowboys had the highest average playoff margin of victory by a Super Bowl winner in the free agency era. In 2002 the Buccaneers tied this record.
1998: Became Raiders Head Coach
In 1998, Jon Gruden became the head coach of the Oakland Raiders.
1998: Named Head Coach of the Oakland Raiders
In 1998, Jon Gruden was chosen by Al Davis, the owner and general manager of the Oakland Raiders, to be the Raiders' new head coach.
1998: Raiders Post 8-8 Season
In 1998, under Jon Gruden, the Oakland Raiders posted an 8-8 season record.
1999: Raiders Post 8-8 Season
In 1999, under Jon Gruden, the Oakland Raiders posted another 8-8 season record.
2000: Raiders Reach AFC Championship
In the 2000 season, Jon Gruden led the Oakland Raiders to the AFC Championship after finishing with a 12-4 record and winning their first division title since 1990.
2001: AFC Championship Appearance
In 2001, Jon Gruden coached the Oakland Raiders, leading them to an AFC Championship Game appearance.
2001: Raiders Return to Postseason
In 2001, the Oakland Raiders returned to the postseason with a 10-6 record under Jon Gruden.
2002: "Pound the Rock" Mantra
During the 2002 season, Jon Gruden's mantra was "Pound the Rock", emphasizing commitment to the running game.
2002: Hired as Buccaneers Head Coach
In 2002, Jon Gruden was hired as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, replacing Tony Dungy.
2002: Traded to Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In 2002, Jon Gruden was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from the Oakland Raiders. He subsequently led the Buccaneers to their first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXVII the same season.
2003: Buccaneers' Losing Season
In 2003, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished with a 7-9 record, marking the beginning of consecutive losing seasons after winning the Super Bowl.
2003: Draft Pick Trade with Raiders
In 2003, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded their first-round draft pick to the Raiders as part of the compensation for acquiring Jon Gruden in 2002.
2004: Bruce Allen Joins Buccaneers
In 2004, Bruce Allen joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as general manager, forming the partnership that Jon Gruden desired.
2004: Buccaneers' Losing Season
In 2004, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished with a 5-11 record, continuing their streak of losing seasons after winning Super Bowl.
2004: Draft Pick Trade with Raiders
In 2004, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded their second-round draft pick to the Raiders as part of the compensation for acquiring Jon Gruden in 2002.
2005: Carnell Williams Wins NFL Rookie of the Year
In 2005, Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, drafted by the Buccaneers, won the Offensive NFL Rookie of the Year Award.
2005: Buccaneers Return to Playoffs
In 2005, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers posted an 11-5 record, returning to the playoffs, despite injuries and controversial coaching decisions.
2006: Dismal Season for Buccaneers
In 2006, Jon Gruden led the Buccaneers to a 4-12 season, which was his worst record as a head coach.
March 28, 2007: Joel Glazer Defends Gruden
On March 28, 2007, Buccaneers executive vice president Joel Glazer defended Jon Gruden's performance, citing lost draft picks, injuries, and salary cap issues.
2007: Buccaneers Return to Playoffs
In 2007, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers returned to the playoffs with a 9-7 record, despite significant injuries to key players. Jon Gruden declared "The future is so bright around here I have to wear shades".
2008: Contract Extension Through 2011
In 2008, Jon Gruden was rewarded with a contract extension through the 2011 season. The Buccaneers collapsed in December, failing to make the playoffs.
2008: End of Tenure with Buccaneers
In 2008, Jon Gruden's tenure as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came to an end, after setting the franchise record for wins, but only making two further playoff runs.
January 16, 2009: Gruden Fired by Buccaneers
On January 16, 2009, Jon Gruden was fired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after seven seasons with the team.
May 2009: Gruden Hired by ESPN
In May 2009, Jon Gruden was hired by ESPN to serve as a color analyst on its Monday Night Football telecasts, replacing Tony Kornheiser.
2009: Buccaneers Spend the Least in the League
From 2004 to 2009, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers spent the least amount of money in the league.
2009: Joins ESPN's Monday Night Football
In 2009, Jon Gruden became an analyst for ESPN's "Monday Night Football" broadcasts.
May 2010: Volunteer Assistant Offensive Line Coach
In May 2010, Jon Gruden became a volunteer assistant offensive line coach at Carrollwood Day School in Tampa, Florida.
2010: Analyst for College Football Games
In 2010, Jon Gruden served as an analyst for ESPN's coverage of the NFL draft and postseason college football games, helping to call the 2010 Rose Bowl and 2010 BCS National Championship Game on ESPN Radio.
2011: Sending of offensive emails
From 2011 to 2018, Jon Gruden sent emails containing racist, misogynistic, and homophobic slurs. These emails were uncovered in October 2021.
2011: Gruden's Contract Extension
In 2008, Jon Gruden was rewarded with a contract extension through the 2011 season with the Buccaneers.
2011: Analyst for College Football Games
In 2011, Jon Gruden served as an analyst for ESPN's coverage of the NFL draft and postseason college football games, helping to call the 2011 Outback Bowl and 2011 Orange Bowl on ESPN.
September 2012: Contract Extension with ESPN
In September 2012, Jon Gruden signed a contract extension with ESPN, lengthening his tenure with the broadcasting company for another five years.
2012: Criticism of Barack Obama during his re-election campaign
In 2012, Jon Gruden criticized Barack Obama during his re-election campaign and called then–Vice President Joe Biden a "nervous clueless pussy", as revealed in emails discovered in October 2021.
2012: Jon Gruden's QB Camp Series
In the spring of 2012, Jon Gruden became the focus of the series Jon Gruden's QB Camp, where he went over the NFL development process with prospective NFL draftees at quarterback, including Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.
December 15, 2014: Further Contract Extension with ESPN
On December 15, 2014, Jon Gruden and ESPN agreed to a contract extension through 2021, allowing an opt-out in the event he wanted to return to coaching.
2017: Final Season on ESPN's Monday Night Football
2017 was Jon Gruden's final season as an analyst for ESPN's "Monday Night Football" broadcasts.
2017: Gruden Inducted into Buccaneers Ring of Honor
In 2017, Jon Gruden was inducted into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor. However, he was later removed due to the content of his emails. He was reinstated in February 2025.
2017: Son Wins Gold at Powerlifting Championships
In 2017, one of Jon Gruden's sons, Jon II (aka Deuce), won gold at the IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships in the junior 83 kg weight class.
2017: Departure from ESPN
In 2018, after deciding to return to the coaching ranks with the Raiders, Jon Gruden's last game for ESPN was the 2017 AFC Wild Card Round between the Tennessee Titans and the Kansas City Chiefs.
January 6, 2018: Gruden Returns to the Raiders as Head Coach
On January 6, 2018, the Raiders announced Jon Gruden's return as head coach, signing him to a 10-year, $100 million contract with a no-trade clause. This marked his return after six years of attempts by Raiders owner Mark Davis to lure him back.
2018: Sending of offensive emails
From 2011 to 2018, Jon Gruden sent emails containing racist, misogynistic, and homophobic slurs. These emails were uncovered in October 2021.
2018: Closes FFCA and Returns to Coaching
In 2018, Jon Gruden closed the Fired Football Coaches Association (FFCA) upon his return to coaching, moving its assets to Oakland.
2018: Returns to Raiders as Head Coach
In 2018, Jon Gruden returned to the Raiders as their head coach.
2018: Departure from ESPN
In 2018, after deciding to return to the coaching ranks with the Raiders, Jon Gruden's last game for ESPN was the 2017 AFC Wild Card Round between the Tennessee Titans and the Kansas City Chiefs.
2019: Raiders' 2019 Season
In 2019, Jon Gruden led the Raiders to a 6–4 record to start the season, thanks to a strong rookie class. However, due to injuries to crucial players, the Raiders finished the season with a 1–5 record, ending 7–9 overall.
September 22, 2020: Gruden Fined for Mask Violation
On September 22, 2020, Jon Gruden was fined $100,000 by the NFL for not properly wearing a face mask, as required for coaches during the COVID-19 pandemic, during a Week 2 game in the 2020 NFL season.
November 5, 2020: Gruden Fined Again for COVID-19 Protocol Violations
On November 5, 2020, Jon Gruden was fined an additional $150,000 for further COVID-19 protocol violations.
October 11, 2021: Gruden Resigns
On October 11, 2021, Jon Gruden resigned after details of his emails were released by The New York Times. Gruden announced his intentions to sue the NFL and Roger Goodell.
October 2021: Emails Uncovered
In October 2021, a league investigation uncovered emails Jon Gruden sent from 2011 to 2018 containing racist, misogynistic, and homophobic slurs, leading to significant controversy.
2021: Resignation from Raiders
In 2021, Jon Gruden resigned as head coach of the Raiders after it was publicly revealed that he wrote and sent many racist, misogynistic, and homophobic emails between 2011 and 2018.
2021: Raiders' 2021 Season
In 2021, the Raiders began the season with a 3-0 record, but lost the following two games. The Raiders made the playoffs under interim coach Rich Bisaccia, something they had not done under Jon Gruden during his second stint with the team.
2021: Contract Extension with ESPN
On December 15, 2014, Jon Gruden and ESPN agreed to a contract extension through 2021, allowing an opt-out in the event he wanted to return to coaching.
May 25, 2022: NFL's Bid to Dismiss Gruden's Lawsuit Thrown Out
On May 25, 2022, a Nevada judge threw out a bid from the NFL to dismiss Jon Gruden's case, following his resignation in October 2021.
May 2023: Gruden Invited to Saints' Offseason Meetings
In May 2023, Jon Gruden was invited by New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen to attend offseason meetings to help the offensive coaching staff adjust to new Saints quarterback Derek Carr.
August 2023: Gruden Spotted at Saints Training Camp
In August 2023, Jon Gruden was spotted with the Saints training camp and was expected to continue his advisory role.
2023: Saints Offensive Coaching Workout
In 2023, Jon Gruden was brought in by the Saints for a work-out for their offensive coaching.
March 2024: Gruden Joins Milano Seamen as Advisor
In March 2024, it was announced that Jon Gruden had joined the Milano Seamen of the European League of Football as an advisor.
November 2024: Gruden Joins Barstool Sports
In November 2024, Jon Gruden joined Barstool Sports and is featured on shows such as The Pro Football Football Show, the Shred Line, and Gruden's QB Class.
February 2025: Gruden Reinstated into Buccaneers Ring of Honor
In February 2025, the Buccaneers announced that Jon Gruden would be reinstated into the Ring of Honor, after having been removed due to the content of his emails.
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