Jon Gruden returns to New Orleans Saints in consulting role
Jon Gruden is back in New Orleans for another consulting gig with the Saints. And it’s all to help new quarterback Derek Carr.
New Orleans coach Dennis Allen first asked Gruden to drop by the Big Easy in late May as the Saints added more to the offense. Although Gruden has been out of coaching for two seasons, he has a solid relationship with Carr, who signed with the Saints in March. After all, the two worked together when Jon Gruden coached the Raiders and Carr was his quarterback.
And Allen, who is in his second season as head coach with the Saints, also had a relationship with Derek Carr before either arrived in New Orleans. Allen drafted him with the Raiders in 2014 when Allen was the head guy with the Raiders.
The Saints, during OTAs in May, began installing an offense that looks a lot like what the Raiders ran under Gruden. No doubt, Gruden likes being back on the sidelines, whether he’s a coach or consultant.
The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported that Gruden technically is a non-paid observer at Saints camp. He’ll be around for three practices and also will attend meetings.
Jon Gruden’s lawsuit against NFL still is active
Jon Gruden has been out of coaching since his forced resignation from the Raiders in October 2021. The resignation came after the NFL found emails Gruden wrote in which he used racist and sexist language. Gruden filed a lawsuit against the NFL for wrongful termination, saying the emails, written years before when he worked for ESPN, were weaponized against him. His case currently is pending as it’s decided whether it should continue through the court system or via arbitration.
Meanwhile, the Saints are thinking that if they can rejuvenate their offense, they’ll be back in the playoffs. They’ve missed out the last two years, aka since Drew Brees retired. New Orleans ranked 19th in the NFL in total offense in the league, so there’s definitely room for improvement.
The Saints believe Carr is the key. They’re paying the 32-year-old Pro Bowler $150 million over four years, so they’d like immediate results from the veteran QB.
New Orleans could be without a key offensive player for several games to start the season. Star running back Alvin Kamara likely will receive a suspension from the NFL for a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy. Kamara met with commissioner Roger Goodell this week to give his side of what happened in a fight that happened before the 2022 Pro Bowl. Kamara accepted a plea deal in which he will do 30 hours of community service and pay for the victim’s $105,000-plus medical bills.