Bucs & now Raiders trying to turn back the hands of time. Raiders' pursuit of Jon Gruden could include ownership stake Spoiler Oakland is preparing to pursue ESPN analyst Jon Gruden with an offer so strong it could even include an ownership stake in the Raiders, according to league sources. Gruden will be tempted to accept it, according to sources, but would prefer not to make any decisions until the regular season finishes Sunday and the Raiders make a final determination on their current head coach, Jack Del Rio, who signed a contract extension last summer. But Oakland long has appealed to Gruden for a variety of reasons. He would return to an organization he didn't want to leave in 2001, he would inherit a young quarterback in Derek Carr whom he feels strongly about, and he would get to coach a team that is slated to move in 2020 to Las Vegas, where he would not have to pay state tax, as he does now in Florida, where he currently lives. Gruden's contract even could be backloaded to pay him more in the Nevada years and lessen his tax burden during the Oakland ones. Raiders owner Mark Davis has offered Gruden an ownership stake in the past, according to sources, and if he were willing to do so again, the contract then would have to be approved by all 32 NFL owners. The NFL's finance committee also would have to vet Gruden, but there is no reason to think it would not approve the deal. Even if it didn't for some unforeseen reason, Gruden's contract could be negotiated in a way that would pay him a commensurate amount if fellow owners or the finance committee did not approve the deal. But these are not expected to be issues that would impede the deal. There are, however, other complications. Del Rio's agent, Bob LaMonte, also represents Gruden, leading to what one source described as "a lot of sensitive situations." Plus, Gruden has been unpredictable before and when some thought he could make the jump to the NFL, he didn't. But this time, Gruden would be given enough power in Oakland to be able to reshape the front office, coaching staff and entire organization, though there still are some holdovers from when he coached there. Gruden declined to specifically comment about the Raiders. "I don't want to sit here and speculate. ... There is no news to report," Gruden said Saturday. "I can't say I haven't taken any phone calls. I take a lot every year from coaches, some others. ... Yeah, sometimes owners. Guys want to bounce ideas off me. I'm here to help people." Another source close to the situation said Mark Davis always has held Gruden in high regard, from the time he coached Oakland from 1998-2001, until long after the time that Davis's father, Al, traded Gruden to Tampa. Gruden was in the booth for his final Monday Night Football game of the season last week in Philadelphia, when the Eagles hosted Davis' Raiders. "The owner," one source said about Davis, "has an affinity for him." And Gruden still has an affinity for coaching. As successful as he has been as an ESPN analyst, providing color commentary for Monday Night Football and helping create Gruden's Quarterback Camp annual specials, many around the league believed it was only a matter of time before he returned to coaching. More and more, it looks as if this is it. Gruden recently has been calling assistant coaches around the league, trying to piece together a staff, though he has made calls in other years and never acted upon any of the opportunities that have come his way. Just last year, the Indianapolis Colts met with him and the Raiders have made other attempts in other years at bringing back Gruden, who still is beloved in the Bay Area. Pegging landing spots for Gruden from year to year has become a sport within the sport, but multiple people believe it is different this year. One source close to the situation said he expected Gruden to return to coaching in 2018. Others predicted Gruden would wind up with the Raiders. But Gruden continues to insist that it is nothing more than talk, as there has been talk in other years about his possible return that didn't come to pass. But this year does seem to be different. This year, there are many sources who believe the Raiders are preparing to make another offer so enticing that it will be difficult for Gruden to turn down.
That article says Gruden currently has to pay state taxes in Florida and that's a reason he'd want to move (once the team relocates to Vegas). Florida doesn't have a state income tax.
That's the dumbest reason ever. If that was the case, he could just move to Vegas now. It's not like his ESPN gig is based out of Florida.
Do broadcasters get charged the same ways players do? Do they have to pay taxes based on where they called a game?
Good question. But regardless, I'm not sure "I want to coach again so I can live somewhere that I can avoid taxes" makes a lot of sense. Seems like he could just get himself a 5% raise from ESPN to cover the cost of taxes and that would be a much easier solution if that were really the reason.
I read the owners have to approve if he gets a piece of the franchise. Good luck with that unanimous vote if so.
Concerns emerge regarding Jon Gruden/Derek Carr relationship Per a league source, there’s a real concern that Carr won’t be able to put up with Gruden’s style for very long. Gruden will ride him and needle him and yell at him and criticize him and ride him some more. Carr will have to learn how to deal with that, or Carr won’t last. And that’s ultimately the concern: Carr, given the way he’s wired, may not make it with Gruden.
