Sep 19, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden looks on from the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Las Vegas won 26-17. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Breaking Down Jon Gruden as the Potential Next Virginia Tech Coach

Originally posted on Virginia Tech Hokies on SI
By James Duncan | Last updated Sep 22, 2025 2:45 PM ET

When a college football program is in transition, big recognizable names get tossed around. For Virginia Tech, one name that keeps popping up is former NFL head coach and Super Bowl champion Jon Gruden. While he has never led a college program, his resume and notoriety are keeping his name in the conversation as a potential candidate to become Virginia Tech's next head coach.

But does he make sense to lead the Hokies?

Background and Resume:

Gruden is best known for his time as an NFL head coach. He got his first head coaching job with the Oakland Raiders (1998-2001) before being traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in February 2002. That trade, which included two first-round picks to Oakland, paid off immediately for Tampa Bay. In his first year as coach of the Buccaneers, he led them to a dominating 48-21 Super Bowl victory against his former team, the Raiders.

He was fired by the Buccaneers in January 2009 following a regular-season collapse during the 2008 regular season. Tampa Bay started off 9-3, but lost its final four games to miss the playoffs.

After his stint with the Buccanneers, Gruden took a coaching hiatus and began a career in broadcasting. He became the lead analyst for Monday Night Football for ESPN alongside Mike Tirico. He also started a popular ESPN segment called "Gruden's QB Camp," where he sat down with top quarterback prospects and broke down film with them.

Currently, Gruden remains active in the football world through his YouTube channel, where he breaks down film and previews upcoming NFL games.

Pluses

Name Recognition: Gruden is a household name synonymous with football. A Super Bowl winning coach with a long NFL coaching career, his hire at Virginia Tech would put the Hokies in the national spotlight and generate excitement from fans, alumni and media.
Recruitment Appeal: While Gruden has never been a college head coach, his name could be influential on big-name recruits, especially on the offensive side of the ball, where Gruden’s expertise lies.
Motivational Ability: Gruden is known for being a fiery presence on the sideline and in practice. That kind of energy could help instill the sense of urgency that Virginia Tech fans have been feeling for more than a decade.
He is interested in Blacksburg : Before Brent Pry being fired, Gruden posted on social media that he loves football at all levels and hinted at a potential return to coaching, stating “you know where to find me,” in regards to a coaching change at Virginia Tech.

Jon Gruden says that if anything happens down the road with the Hokies that people know where to find him pic.twitter.com/6KLZcBuEDG
— Joe Rogers (@VT4L_Joe) August 21, 2025

Minuses

High Expectations and Pressure: Bringing in a massive name like Gruden shoots the expectation for Virginia Tech football through the roof immediately. Students, alumni, fans and donors are going to expect results in Gruden’s first season. It is difficult to turn a college program around in just one year, but bringing Gruden in would raise expectations to almost an unrealistic level, putting pressure on his staff and players.
Adapting to college lifestyle: Gruden has never been a head coach in college football. He has spent time as an assistant coach, but has never led a collegiate program. He has never had to help players balance school and playing football, or has ever dealt with the world of NIL. This could be a real culture shock and adjustment for Gruden if he were hired by Virginia Tech.
No recent coaching success: When Gruden returned to the Raiders in 2018, fan expectations were through the roof. Unfortunately, Gruden did not find the same success he did in his first go-around with the Raiders. The Raiders were just 4-12 in his first season and finished with an overall record of 22-31 his second time coaching the Raiders.

How realistic of a candidate is he?

With Virginia Tech just proposing a budget increase to its athletic budget, hiring Gruden became much more realistic. With Gruden's experience at the NFL level, he is going to demand a competitive salary that could land him as one of the highest paid coaches in the ACC.

That said, he has indicated that he is interested in coaching again and even name-dropped the Hokies in a team he could be coaching. If Virginia Tech wants to make a bold and flashy move, hiring Gruden could be the answer.

This article first appeared on Virginia Tech on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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