Jon Gruden‘s ESPN gig will not be a mere pit stop in between coaching jobs.
Gruden has signed a multi-year extension with ESPN that will keep him on Monday Night Football and add college football and NFL Draft duties.
Under the deal, Gruden will call the 2010 Rose Bowl and 2010 BCS National Championship Game on ESPN Radio, alongside MNF partner Mike Tirico. Additionally, Gruden will call the 2010 Pro Bowl on ESPN and be part of the network’s NFL Draft coverage.
In a statement, Gruden said he is “fired up” to make “this long-term commitment to ESPN.” The word of the day was indeed ‘commitment’, which was mentioned three times in the ESPN press release announcing the extension.
Gruden has been linked to several possible coaching positions since joining Monday Night Football. Recently, NBC’s Pro Football Talk cited a “growing sense among league and industry insiders” that Gruden would return to coaching next season.
Sources: ESPN, Pro Football Talk
