Ex-Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden is being linked to one SEC team after speaking to the Georgia football team over the weekend.
SEC School Urged to Hire Jon Gruden After Impassioned Georgia Football Speech originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden may not be able to land a job in the NFL, but he’s seemingly trying his hardest to land one in college.
Outside of a consulting gig with the New Orleans Saints back in 2023, Gruden has yet to make an NFL return after resigning as head coach of the Raiders in 2021 after a series of emails leaked showing him using homophobic slurs and anti-LGBTQ language.
Gruden sued the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell not long after, claiming the email leak was a hit job orchestrated by Goodell to force him out of Vegas while alleging the “smear campaign” against him has kept him from securing another coaching job.
Aside from making a few guest appearances at NFL training camps over the last few years with the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Detroit Lions, Gruden still hasn’t been offered a permanent position anywhere, which is likely why he was so fired up to speak to the Georgia football team over the weekend, where he made it known he’d love to land on his feet with an SEC program.
“I’d die to coach in the SEC…I would f—king love it”
— zach ragan (@zachTNT) August 9, 2025
Coming this fall - Grumors: The NIL edition pic.twitter.com/STqyUxJJgg
“The only reason I really came here is because I want to coach again,” Gruden said on Saturday. “I'm being honest with you. I do not [expletive] either. I'd die to coach in the SEC. I would love it. I would [expletive] love it.
“I sit there and I fantasize — I'm fantasizing on the [practice] field. I said, 'Man, I wish I was coaching against the SEC.' I want to come to Georgia, between the hedges. I'm fantasizing about going up against Kirby Smart.”
Whether or not his speech leads to any job offers remains to be seen, but one SEC program was urged by Aaron Torres of Fox Sports Radio to hire the former Super Bowl winner.
“Yo, @RazorbackFB. Make the [expletive] call 🤯🐗,” Torres wrote.
While Arkansas currently has a head coach under contract, that doesn’t necessarily mean Sam Pittman’s job is safe.
In five seasons with the Razorbacks, Pittman has a 30-31 record with just one season with more than eight wins. If Arkansas stumbles out of the gate next season, perhaps Gruden’s phone will be ringing?
Razorback fans seemed to fawn over the idea on social media, with some pleading with director of athletics Hunter Yurachek to make a change.
“’Jon Gruden expected to be the next head coach at University of Arkansas’- that ESPN notification going to be so sweet 😎🐗,” one fan boasted.
“Gruden is my number one replacement, If not I want Rhett Lashlee,” another fan stated.
“As a Razorback Foundation Member, please @HunterYurachek,” pleaded another fan.
“@HunterYurachek time to make the call boss man,” one user remarked.
“Back up the Brinks truck!!!” exclaimed another user.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
