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Every season, the Jon Gruden rumor mill starts up. Usually in relation to college coaching jobs, but this year there’s a difference: Gruden is being linked in very concrete terms to NFL teams, in particular the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports today that Gruden’s reaching out to possible assistant coaches, and that the Bucs are his favorite landing spot.
Grumors on @NFLGameDay: Jon Gruden is reaching out to possible assistants as many wonder if this year is different, while Jay Gruden is a top target for the #Bengals -- if available. pic.twitter.com/ZVvniD5nvr
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 24, 2017
Of course, we’ve heard this song and dance before, and Gruden usually just ends up going back to ESPN. There’s also the question whether the Bucs would even fire Koetter and if they do, whether they would want Gruden back. You don’t see coaches coming back to the team that fired them, really.
That’s a lot of questions that remain to be answered, and if Koetter wins the last two games he’s unlikely to be replaced. One thing is clear, though: the Gruden-to-Bucs rumors are getting ever more pressing and concrete.