Jon Gruden’s Potential Return to Coaching: A College Football Opportunity
Jon Gruden, the former Las Vegas Raiders head coach who resigned amid controversy over troubling emails, may find a new chapter in his coaching career—not in the NFL, but on college football sidelines. Since his departure from professional football, Gruden has maintained his connection to the sport through his YouTube channel while simultaneously pursuing a lawsuit against the NFL, claiming the league orchestrated his downfall by leaking his emails. This legal battle makes his return to the professional ranks unlikely in the near future, but Gruden himself has made it clear he’s far from done with coaching. During a recent appearance at the University of Georgia, he expressed his passionate desire to coach again, specifically mentioning his interest in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) with unmistakable enthusiasm: “I want to coach again. I’d die to coach in the SEC. I would love it. I would f—ing love it.”
The timing of Gruden’s interest coincides with several coaching vacancies at prominent SEC programs, creating a potential pathway for his return to the sidelines. College football expert Bryan Fischer has specifically pointed to Auburn University as a logical destination. In an analysis published in Sports Illustrated, Fischer suggested that Auburn’s culture might be particularly accommodating to Gruden’s controversial background: “If ever a school didn’t mind some questionable communications and a checkered past, it’s Auburn.” The Tigers program would offer Gruden the prestige, geographical advantage, and passionate fan base that could embrace his return to coaching. However, Fischer also raised important considerations about this potential pairing, wondering about Gruden’s staff selections and whether he would maintain Auburn’s existing personnel structure, cautioning that the university “can’t afford to see this become a Bill Belichick-like circus on the Plains.”
Gruden’s coaching credentials remain impressive despite the controversy that ended his NFL career. Renowned for his innovative play-calling abilities and schematic knowledge, Gruden possesses a coaching style and personality that might translate exceptionally well to the college environment. His passionate approach and motivational tactics could resonate strongly with younger players who are still developing both as athletes and individuals. College football often rewards coaches who can inspire consistent improvement and development in their players—areas where Gruden’s intensity and football acumen could prove particularly valuable. The college game’s different pace and atmosphere might provide him the perfect canvas to showcase his coaching philosophy away from the intense scrutiny of the NFL.
For Auburn specifically, the appeal of hiring Gruden would extend beyond his football knowledge. The program has struggled to maintain consistent success in recent years within the highly competitive SEC, often living in the shadow of conference powerhouses like Alabama, Georgia, and LSU. Bringing in a coach with Gruden’s name recognition and championship pedigree would signal Auburn’s serious intention to compete at the highest levels of college football. His NFL experience and Super Bowl-winning background would instantly elevate Auburn’s profile in recruiting conversations, potentially attracting talent that might otherwise choose more established programs. The marriage of Gruden’s offensive expertise with Auburn’s tradition and resources could create the foundation for a football renaissance on the Plains.
The potential challenges of this partnership cannot be overlooked, however. Gruden’s controversial exit from the NFL raises legitimate questions about whether a major university would be willing to weather the initial criticism that would accompany his hiring. Additionally, college coaching requires skills beyond game planning and motivation—recruiting, compliance navigation, and alumni relations all play crucial roles in a program’s success. Gruden has spent the majority of his coaching career in the professional ranks, where these elements are either nonexistent or substantially different. His adaptation to these aspects of college coaching would be critical to his success at Auburn or any other university. Furthermore, the college football landscape has changed dramatically since Gruden last coached at this level as a graduate assistant at Pittsburgh in the early 1990s, with NIL deals, transfer portal management, and conference realignment creating a vastly different environment.
Despite these challenges, Gruden’s potential return to coaching through the college ranks represents an intriguing possibility for both the coach and whichever program might hire him. For Gruden, it offers a path to redemption and an opportunity to reshape his legacy away from the controversy that ended his NFL career. For a program like Auburn, it presents the chance to make a splashy hire that could energize the fan base and signal competitive ambition within the increasingly challenging SEC. The coming months may reveal whether this speculative match becomes reality, but Gruden’s expressed desire to coach again combined with the perpetual churn of college football coaching positions suggests that his return to the sidelines remains a distinct possibility. If successful at the collegiate level, Gruden could potentially write a new, positive chapter in his coaching story while helping restore a program to national prominence.
