The Oakland Raiders still have one game to go this season before deciding on whether head coach Dennis Allen will return to the franchise and if owner Mark Davis decides to fire him, expect Jon Gruden's name to come up early and often as the man who could replace him at the helm.
The Raiders are heading towards another losing season and Dennis Allen is on the hot seat once again and while many feel that he has done a solid job with the team given to him, another 4-12 finish may not be what owner Mark Davis wants. The team went 4-12 last season and everyone involved knows that general manager Reggie McKenzie has spent the past two seasons ditching bad contracts and older players and that has meant things would be tough for a couple years as the team rebuilds.
Allen may get the axe because of all that, but more glaring could be the issues at quarterback after the Matt Flynn trade did not work out and Terrelle Pryor did not keep his job. Matt McGloin has been solid, but nothing spectacular and now the team is looking at a 4-12 record again with the Denver Broncos visiting on Sunday in Week 17. According to CBS Sports, analyst Amy Trask, who used to work in a high capacity position for the Raiders, said that she feels Gruden could be a legitimate option if the team decided to part ways with Allen based on his connection to the franchise and his past success there.
According to the clip, Trask says that Gruden is looked at as a great coach and a popular figure by fans of the Raiders and that business wise, the move likely would be a good one because he would generate interest and could sell a bunch of tickets. Trask also commended Gruden's capacity when it comes to football and that is the main reason why he would be a good fit and while it is still unlikely that Gruden will leave the ESPN booth, there is a chance that could happen and if that did happen, Oakland could be a destination that he could consider. Gruden has been mentioned in numerous jobs over the past couple of years while he has been working for ESPN and while he has done a good job of sidestepping those, the Raiders job is a bit different because of how visible he was there as head coach.
Gruden made his bones in Oakland and he got his job in Tampa where he won the Super Bowl after taking the Raiders back to great success, with an AFC championship appearance and a 12-4 record along with a divisional title. Gruden took the job in 1998 and went to Tampa after the 2001 season and he won 40 games in the Bay Area and he likely would be welcomes back with open arms if he was brought back to the team.
Dennis Allen is looking at his second straight 4-12 season to give him eight wins with the team and while he likely deserves some more time to get the Raiders right, he could get fired as this is a "win now" league. Mark Davis has seen teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers turn around year to year and he could have that same thought about his Raiders.
