Former Super Bowl-Winning Coach Attends Jaguars Practice

Gruden, 61, was one of the most interesting head coaches in league history – and he might not be done. He returned to pro football in May when he became a part-owner of the Arena League’s Nashville Kats, possibly a stepping stone to an NFL return.

He returned to coaching after a 10-year break in 2018, returning to the Raiders, but resigned after five games in 2021. His first stint with the Raiders (1998-2001) coincided with the controversial Tuck Rule Game, which helped to launch Tom Brady’s storied career.

The Raiders traded Gruden to the Buccaneers and he immediately led Tampa Bay to its first Super Bowl title – serendipitously defeating the Raiders to end the 2002 season. The Buccaneers fired Gruden after seven seasons in 2008 before ESPN hired him as its Monday Night Football color commentator (2009-17).

Gruden loves this play in Coen's playbook

Gruden colorfully commented this past weekend on one of Liam Coen’s plays – executed perfectly in the Bucs’ 40-17 road win over the Chargers in Week 15. Look away, Bills Mafia. Gruden broke down the play, surely in the Jaguars’ arsenal now that Coen is their head coach, on a white board and on film. And it wasn't good for Joey Bosa.

“What I love about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is they can play with 11 personnel, one back, three receivers,” Gruden said Sunday. “Or they can come right at you with one back and three tight ends. And that's what they did against the Chargers.

“I mean, they bring in Payne Durham at one tight end, Cade Otton at the other. Here comes Ko Kieft, No. 41, they like to make him a fullback in this 13 personnel. They run this gap scheme. I call it 96 to the right, 97 to the left. The play is F counter with an easy release. What is an easy release? Well, the tight end acts like he's blocking Joey Bosa, but then he releases and blocks the strong safety.

“But that bluff, it sets up this trap block by the backside guard. So Bosa's playing off the tight end. If the tight end releases, boom! Here comes the left guard, (Ben) Bredeson, kicking out on 96 F counter easy. They get a double team between (Luke) Goedeke and their right guard, (Cody) Mauch, and they come off for the backside linebacker. (Graham) Barton snatches the nose tackle and you'll see Ko Kieft following that guard right up inside for the inside linebacker.

“Bucky Irving starts away, so the flow starts one way, the action comes the other, and if you get him one-on-one with that free safety, whoa, look out. It's going to get exciting for the Tampa offense: 96 F counter easy. It's a big play. It's a gap scheme that the Buccaneers can pound you with. They cut off the backside.

“It's a problem play.”

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