NFL Hall of Famer endorses Jon Gruden for Arkansas head coach
Rumors – both realistic and astronomically unlikely – spread like wildfire during coaching searches.
Less than halfway into the 2025 college football schedule, the Arkansas Razorbacks fanbase will have extra time to for a multitude of shenanigans to unfold after the university relieved Sam Pittman of his head coaching duties on Sunday and promoted offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino to interim.
Super Bowl champion Jon Gruden was hot candidate when Arkansas was looking for a head football coach in 2013 and many fans are still salivating at the possibility of the 62-year-old to coach their beloved Razorbacks.
Hall of Fame QB gives take on Jon Gruden as Arkansas head coach
NFL Hall of Fame signal caller Brett Favre said on Twitter Monday that Gruden would be exactly what Arkansas needs to revive its struggling football program.
“I’ve always said Jon Gruden is one of the sharpest minds in football,”Favre said. “His energy, passion, and love for the game are a perfect fit for the SEC…
“Wouldn’t be surprised to see him land somewhere like Arkansas. I could see Gruden being a spark for that program.”
Favre would know.
Gruden was on staff with the Green Bay Packers in 1992 as an offensive assistant, the same year Favre became Green Bay’s starter and went on to play for 20 seasons that included winning a Super Bowl. He is also to this day the only player in NFL history to be named the league’s Most Valuable Player three consecutive seasons.
Gruden was on the Packers’ staff through the 1994 season and won Super Bowl XXXVII with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In his time with the Bucs and two different stints with the then Oakland, now Las Vegas, Raiders, Gruden compiled an overall record of 117-112 (.511) including 5-4 in the postseason.
Most of Gruden’s coaching career has been in the pros, but he started his coaching career at Tennessee in 1986. He also had stints at Southeast Missouri State (1988), Pacific (1989) and Pittsburgh (1991).
Gruden resigned under pressure with the Raiders in 2021 and now works for Barstool Sports.
He did express that he “would die to coach in the SEC – the 16-team league Arkansas is a part of – on an episode of Pardon My Take back in August.
Stay tuned to HawgBeat and subscribe for $1 for your first week that also includes a full year’s subscription to The Athletic. Also, tap in to The Trough premium message board for daily discussion and intel.
