Report: Chucky In Early Stages Of Building Coaching Staff
December 24th, 2017
“We can be a team, Jameis, I’m telling ‘ya man!”
Whether Chucky returns to the NFL sidelines this year, much less if he ever coaches the Bucs again, is far from certain.
However, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Chucky is reaching out to potential assistants to begin the groundwork of potentially building a coaching staff.
“As it’s being explained to me this year may actually be different,” Rapoport said. “Gruden right now is going through the process of reaching out to for former assistants and friends in the coaching industry just to see if they would be available, if they would potentially come with him if he were be able to get a head coaching job. And of course the Tampa Bay Buccaneers do have Dirk Koetter on the hot seat — that would be his preferred destination. The Bucs have often swung big. They’d have to give up a lot of money to outbid ESPN and pay Gruden what he would want — something that would be worth it to come back to coaching. As a source close to him told me, this year may actually different.”
Of course, there may be other things here at play. Chucky still has emotional ties to the Raiders and Jack Del Rio, who the great Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported, is 50/50 on being retained. Raiders owner Mark Davis loves Chucky and would Chucky want to finish something he started in Oakland and then head to Las Vegas to be the crown jewel of Sin City?
Joe is starting to believe this Gruden return is real because there is just too much smoke out there to ignore.
Either that, or Chucky is pulling a major fast-one.
December 24th, 2017 at 12:15 pm
Koetter game planning against Gruden? Yikes.
December 24th, 2017 at 12:18 pm
Oh my gosh…that would take away a lot of my situational depression right now..
December 24th, 2017 at 12:32 pm
He would definitely be good for Jameis. His offense would too. Bring an aggressive defensive coordinator with ya Jonny boy. We cant sit through another year of the defense turning half the opposing qbs into pro bowlers and the other half into hall of famers.
December 24th, 2017 at 12:33 pm
The results that are expected in the Carolina and New Orleans Games is the reality that no Bucs fan needs to say. With Captain Koetter, we are staring 4-12 in the face, and based on how our Defense has played… they need no introduction. Anyways, sounds like Captain Koetter is gonna have walk the Plank.
December 24th, 2017 at 12:35 pm
Jack del rio signed an extension last year
If chicago gets all fired, vic fangio is a top def coord
December 24th, 2017 at 12:40 pm
Gruden….is securing pay days via guaranteed income. I believe….he sees the writing on the wall at ESPN. They’ve been unloading costly contracts and while they may not unload him, the outlook for a big raise is limited. So he revisits the NFL. When that is done, maybe he finally settles into the booth for whatever he gets but right now….he can maximize is pay by playing everyone against each other. Its smart business.
Can he deliver…..I believe he still understands the game well. But if he doesn’t, he still gets the guaranteed contract. That’s the norm for all NFL coaches. This is a business move for his career and financial security. I hope he comes back to us and highly doubt his wife is going to give the green light for Vegas.
December 24th, 2017 at 12:56 pm
Do it for the suffering fans, for Jameis and most of all….. for Tiny Tim!
God Bless us EVERYONE!
December 24th, 2017 at 12:57 pm
Hmmph. Very interesting. In another post I mentioned Jack Del Rio. Ian forgot Mike Shula. In a few days he’ll catch up, as will Mike Florio. Or maybe they won’t.
December 24th, 2017 at 12:57 pm
Bobby M..Gruden has plenty of money..like plenty..he’s got the itch to come back and coach..just like Vermeil did..
And the fact he’s been studying other teams for the past 10 years..he knows the ins and outs..
I want Gruden back..and I want him back like yesterday..
December 24th, 2017 at 12:57 pm
Rumors, rumors, rumors. What to do.
December 24th, 2017 at 1:02 pm
Yeah, Jon Gruden. Won the SB with a team Dungy buit. Went third place, and then last place after that. Decimated this team. The position he was THE WORST in football with: QB. Someone tell me why Gruden deserves to be coach in today’s environment? I’d rather risk another year with Koetter than take Gruden for another five. I respect those guys who say Gruden would sell tickets. But that would happen for one year. And why do we as Bucs fans care? I buy mine. I want WINs. You can smooch my big old petute on ticket sales. I am the one who has to sit that and watch. Gruden ain’t the guy.
December 24th, 2017 at 1:03 pm
I have predicted before: 5pm on 12/31 will be apple-and-roadmap distribution time in Tampa Bay.
Please note there have been *zero* words of support for this coaching staff from ownership. None.
The Bucs are suffering at the box office and the drop off in season ticket sales will be staggering if this team limps into the offseason. The ability to attract solid coaches and Free Agents if Koetter is considered to be on a one-season leash is also *zero.*
I am not at all surprised that a guy like Gruden is making phone calls…because he can without any accusations of tampering. The Coaching Carousel begins on 12/31 and the good ones get gone first.
As a fan 2017 has been the most disappointing I have had as a Buc fan on several levels, especially after the high hopes. I can only imagine how the Glazers feel.
December 24th, 2017 at 1:10 pm
@ Roy. T: Gruden decimated the team? Are you serious?
Between the price the owners paid for Gruden and being in cap hell, how could *any* head coach or GM have done better?
When the 2 #1’s and 2 #2’s were announced at payment for Gruden, and considering the cap situation the team was in at the time (how quickly casual fans forget), I knew the Bucs would either win big or crash…and maybe both. Frankly, I’m surprised Gruden kept the wheels on as well as he did during that period.
How many teams can survive without two years of top draft picks and having to trim the roster for cap purposes? It’s as short a list as “how many JBF Fans would Rachael Watson want to kanoodle with if the lights are on?”
December 24th, 2017 at 1:31 pm
@Cobraboy: Yes, Grudent decimated the team. Could not get along with his players, could not, would not develop a QB. Why do you want a guy who turned in a losing record for 4 of his 7 seasons as the next HC?
December 24th, 2017 at 1:44 pm
@ Roy T. Buford
It makes no sense to try to reason with these fans who think Gruden will be a savor.
They have completely forgot about the past and how Gruden along with his puppet GM set this franchise back 6 to 7 years by poor drafting and dumb personnel decisions.
These Gruden fans are a lost cause
December 24th, 2017 at 1:47 pm
The Raiders are in the far worse division … I’d hope he would chose Tampa but the Oakland job is promising …
December 24th, 2017 at 1:49 pm
Anyone notice how only one reporter is breaking any news about this? Ian Rapoport.
No one else is getting anything? Not even Jay Glazer????
Maybe Gruden is talking a little, but the Glazers are not.
December 24th, 2017 at 2:16 pm
All you people that still blast Gruden make me laugh. This franchise has been a laughingstock since he was fired. It’s been almost an entire decade without a playoff appearance now.
You say he was so bad but evidently firing him didn’t fix things like you thought it would. A super bowl win along with two additional division titles? 4 winning seasons out of 7?
Keep in mind, your team is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: a team that has sucked for most its existence. So have a little more appreciation for Gruden, because history shows that we’re not bound to see a lot of winning football here in Tampa.
December 24th, 2017 at 2:21 pm
Wow did Jameis getting lucky!!
December 24th, 2017 at 2:30 pm
@BucsAnthem…you are right…no point in trying to reason…but the facts speak for themselves! Hoping for a miracle in Charlotte!
December 24th, 2017 at 2:33 pm
@Cobraboy. You say zerio words of support by the ownership for current regime. When have they ever done that? Never. Certainly not in three of Gruden’s four losing seasons. On the last one, they just let him go, didn’t say boo. Hmmm.
December 24th, 2017 at 3:04 pm
THIS IS HIS WAY OF GETTING MORE MONEY OUT OF ESPN!!! DUH!!! SO MUCH SMOKE IT ANT EVEN FUNNY..
December 24th, 2017 at 4:08 pm
HC – Jon Gruden
QB/OC – Marc Trestman
RB – Kirby Smart
OL – Joe Philbin/Mice Tice if possible Callahan (assistant HC)
WR – Kevin Sumlin/Todd Moeken
TE – keep current
DC – Gus Bradley
LB – Mike Singletary/Ken Norton
DB – Ed Donnatel/Jimmy Lake
ST – Chuck Pagano