Why Jon Gruden feels Giants' head-coaching vacancy is desirable

Shortly after the New York Giants fired head coach Brian Daboll on Nov. 10, some linked the club with one-time Super Bowl champion coach Jon Gruden.

Gruden hasn't served as an NFL head coach since he resigned from his post with the Las Vegas Raiders in October 2021 after the NFL's investigation of what was known as the Washington Football Team uncovered emails Gruden previously sent that reportedly contained racist, homophobic and misogynistic language. For a piece published on Monday, Gruden spoke with Jordan Raanan of ESPN about how the Giants having rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart on the roster makes their opening all the more appealing to would-be candidates. 

Jon Gruden is a big Jaxson Dart fan

"First of all, it's the New York Giants," Gruden explained. "I mean, it is one of the founding franchises of football. It's New York. It's Jaxson Dart. You know what kind of talent he is. You know he has the arm talent, the athleticism. I know he's a smart guy. He's a great competitor. I think that is pretty much a good summary of why this is a desirable job."

Dart replaced Russell Wilson as New York's QB1 after Week 3, and the first-year pro earned wins across two of his first three starts. However, Dart then endured four straight losses before he missed back-to-back games due to a concussion he suffered during the Giants' Week 10 defeat at the Chicago Bears on Nov. 9. 

Dart was evaluated for a concussion four times in eight contests from the preseason through the Chicago game. A later report revealed that people within the Giants want Dart to do a better job of protecting himself as a scrambling signal-caller. 

Jon Gruden shares warning for Jaxson Dart, Giants

"This has the potential to be a great situation," Gruden added about what Dart may and/or may not be for the Giants. "But Dart has to do his part. He's got to stay healthy. He has to stay out there. He has to be what he's supposed to be."

Dart is scheduled to be back in the Giants lineup when 2-10 Big Blue plays at the New England Patriots (10-2) on Monday night. Following that game, the Giants will enter their Week 14 bye.

As for Gruden's future, it's unclear if Giants general manager Joe Schoen will keep his job through the winter. Under Schoen, the Giants have gone 11-35 since the start of the 2023 season.