More On Jay Gruden's Coaching History

by Josh Kirkendall on Feb 3, 2011 12:15 AM EST in Coaching News

As Jason already pointed out, rumors have surfaced that the Cincinnati Bengals could be looking at Jay Gruden to take over as the team's offensive coordinator, less than a week after firing Bob Bratkowski.

Gruden was believed to be a candidate to become the Carolina Panthers' quarterbacks coach after the team hired Ron Rivera in mid-January. The job eventually went to Mike Shula, who is better known as the brother of the President of Shula's Steak House, Dave.

Before his four-year stint as a head coach for the AFL's Orlando Predators (reaching the AFL's title game in three of those seasons), Gruden was the offensive coordinator for the AFL's Nashville Cats in 1997, coaching Andy Kelly as one of the league's best quarterbacks. Gruden would eventually become an offensive assistant coach with his brother Jon with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2002 through Jon's exit in 2008 while still a head coach with the Predators from 2004-2008, only reaching the title game once more.

Gruden joined the UFL's Florida Tuskers as the offensive coordinator in 2009. The team went undefeated during the regular season and averaged a league-high 30.5 points/game and 434 yards/game. They lost to the Las Vegas Locomotives in overtime, 20-17. As a head coach, Gruden led the Tuckers to the UFL Championship game in 2010 with a league high 35.5 points/game.

Gruden has been apart of six Arena Bowl titles, three divisional titles in the NFL and a Super Bowl in his coaching career.

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Comments

This guy is the anti Brat

I’m stoked to get a coach with a little personality. Let’s hope he can turn this ship around.

This is our year!

by Paul Cannon on Feb 3, 2011 12:37 AM EST reply actions

Here's how I'm handling this

I want to give him a chance so I’m not going to prejudge him and say he’s under qualified or anything from here out.

I will support him entirely, it will be his action with this team that will decide if I like him or not.

Hopefully my picture doesn't show my bias.

by C Byers on Feb 3, 2011 12:46 AM EST reply actions

+1

Hopefully he’s the zimmer for the offense.

by ddbumpus on Feb 3, 2011 12:51 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

My first thought is that he's underqualified

Then I found out about the DUI. I have a problem there as I am the Mom of a son who was seriously injured by a drunk driver, so when I hear about DUIs I get pissed off. I’ll give him a chance though.

by BonnieBengal on Feb 3, 2011 8:05 AM EST up reply actions

Maybe Jay is under qualified because of the DUI? Maybe teams never gave him a chance because of things like this? Just a thought. Sorry to hear about your son.

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by Joe Goodberry on Feb 3, 2011 8:30 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Thanks. He's fine now.

We were lucky. It took him a year to recover and he will always have a rod in his leg but he is doing well. Graduated from college and married. We were very fortunate. I’m going to give Jay a chance. My first thought when I hear about a DUI is always to get pissed off, but that was six years ago and hopefully he can help the team.

by BonnieBengal on Feb 3, 2011 8:37 AM EST up reply actions

ProFootballTalk's description

Gruden fits the player-acquisition profile that the Bengals have used in recent years. He was arrested for DUI in 2005.

When is the world going to get over the bad slump of arrests we had 5 years ago? Your precious steelers have gotten into more trouble with the law than the bengals. Raping college freshman. Ya, thats great. Lets have him be the superbowl hero.

by Carson'sConvicts on Feb 3, 2011 2:42 AM EST reply actions

You have got to be kidding me!

by BonnieBengal on Feb 3, 2011 8:03 AM EST up reply actions

I'm happy that

We didn’t promote from within. I think a fresh perspective from the outside could energize this offense. The one plus I would say about someone coming from AFL is that the teams are more offense oriented. Granted, it is like apples to oranges to the NFL but I hope he gets his chance. I think people are making a big deal over how Carson will respond to this…I don’t think it will affect his mindset at all. Here’s hoping Gruden brings Odell Thurman with him!

by ochocinconumerouno on Feb 3, 2011 4:20 AM EST reply actions

I'm all for it

He seems smart, energised, charasmatic and innovative. He has won at every level and that’s something you can’t teach. Everything I’m reading sounds positive and it sounds like a jump to the NFL was inevitable.

I saw in one of his video clips that he runs a west coast offense with multiple formations and personnel groupings. That’s something I haven’t seen here in a long long time.

So why the hell not?

by Mexal on Feb 3, 2011 4:59 AM EST reply actions

I hope he has our offense go buckwild!

by TCfromDubVee on Feb 3, 2011 9:17 AM EST reply actions

I kind of like that he's been with Arena Ball

smaller box, faster play, high energy.

I would hope it translates to maximizing each players skill set. Something we have not seen around here for, well, something we have not since Al Gore invented the internet.

2010 - The Year of the LOLCats.

by UpStateMike on Feb 3, 2011 9:17 AM EST reply actions

me too

the main translation i’m getting from his AFL days is quick release passing game. Plus like many have said, he’s clearly a QB centered coach who has produces success at various levels- meaning it’s not a fluke or a flash in the pan type of coordinator, his offenses produce.period.

The Curse of Bo Jackson: Jan 13th,1991- present day

by TruWhoDey on Feb 3, 2011 11:13 AM EST up reply actions