Raiders Opinion: The Time Is Now

Throughout his 12 years as a head coach, Jon Gruden has recorded 99 wins and 93 losses (.516). His win percentage ranks 20th amongst active NFL coaches, but his 99 wins rank him 10th. Gruden’s singular Super Bowl win ties him for second. Although many take this stat with a grain of salt. They considered the 2002 Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers to be the team that Tony Dungy built. They destroyed the Raiders in San Diego.

The Resume

Regardless of who coached before him, Gruden did lead his team to a Super Bowl Championship, and this is a feat only 3 other current AFC coaches (Belichick, Tomlin, Harbaugh) can boast.

As for his record with his current team, Gruden wears a 4-12 record since rejoining the Raiders. The 4-12 record disappointed many as fans watched the team’s supposed savior cook up a 1-8 record through his first nine games. The part that stung the most, was knowing that the team still had a majority of the talent that got the Raiders to 12-4 just two years prior in 2016.

Big Hopes

Like hope, doubt also came with the signing of Gruden. Fears that he lingered away from the game for too long crept in. At the time, those doubts and fears seemed ridiculous. Gruden had not been away from the game; he was publicly watching and analyzing football due to Gruden’s QB Camp and Monday Night Football.

Then, the Raiders traded Khalil Mack and all trust in Gruden vanished, not only from the fans but from the players as well. Oakland had also released Michael Crabtree to sign an aging Jordy Nelson to potentially contribute to the distrust.

Improvements

Announcing to the fans that the team is in the midst of a quick rebuild is an incredibly difficult conversation, and perhaps that is why Raiders fans never received one. The Raiders were certainly rebuilding last year, whether or not the team would admit it.

But things are now looking up for Gruden. With the help of general manager Mike Mayock, Gruden has rapidly turned this team’s outlook around. The Raiders have signed significant stars and had an excellent draft. The Khalil Mack trade drew raves. In most cases, the team has signed players with not only the best available skill, but also the best character (again, in most cases).

Outlook

The future is incredibly bright for the Oakland Raiders, but there are still many questions about Coach Gruden. Gruden has had such a unique career, from being traded as a coach to taking a 10-year hiatus, that after one season back, it is quite difficult to compare him to anyone.