Jon Gruden has found a home at Barstool Sports thanks to Dave Portnoy. But his time at the digital outlet may be short-lived as his name is being floated once again as an NFL head coaching candidate. And that’s something that Dan Le Batard has a problem with.
Gruden was a toxic figure not too long ago after resigning from the Raiders in 2021 when private e-mails leaked showing the coach using offensive language. After a couple years out of the public eye, Gruden re-emerged this year with a new YouTube channel that he turned into the gig at Barstool.
Now with Gruden being mentioned as potentially returning to the NFL, even as his dismissed lawsuit against the league is being reviewed by the Nevada Supreme Court, Le Batard took the time to remind everyone the reason why the former Super Bowl winner left the league in the first place.
“Jon Gruden, his name being mentioned near anything should cause shame eternally for everyone involved with that league. The idea that that can be recycled into something after what that has done publically.”
Dan reacts to Jon Gruden being in the conversation to return as the… pic.twitter.com/vdJ8gndWia
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) January 8, 2025
“Jon Gruden, his name being mentioned near anything should cause shame eternally for everyone involved with that league,” Le Batard said. “The idea that that can be recycled into something after what that has done publicly just because he smirks and is charming and we’re in a different America than we were when he was the highest paid face and voice at ESPN on behalf of football enthusiasm.”
“I understand that Barstool resuscitated him. I don’t blame second chances. I think everyone should actually get second chances, but that guy with those crimes going right to the top of the food chain again for the top of the jobs because, the way to do all this stuff, whether it’s Louis Riddick over here or whether it’s Rex Ryan is just be on television. One of these football teams will think that’s leadership enough. Just be around talking about football, we’ll figure out how to make it a leader and it doesn’t matter how much garbage is on the resume.” he added.
Jon Gruden’s current boss at Barstool, Dave Portnoy, caught wind of Dan Le Batard’s comments and fired his own shot at the Meadowlark Media host in this post on X calling him an “absolute self righteous jackass.”
Imagine saying somebody’s private emails being leaked illegally is a crime? Dan Lebatard is an absolute self righteous jackass. pic.twitter.com/kpVeVlgyHQ
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) January 9, 2025
Dan Le Batard has never been one to shy away from how the political and cultural world impacts sports. And while he and Dave Portnoy can argue over Jon Gruden’s NFL return, there’s a larger overall point worth noticing that the radio host made that is worth not glossing over. The wider shift in society (see Mark Zuckerberg and other media giants bending to the will of the incoming administration) is what could open the door for Gruden to come back to coaching where maybe it wouldn’t have been possible a year ago.
Certainly, Jon Gruden’s Barstool tenure is also helping in his quest. And it’s a testament to Barstool’s reach and power in 2025 that Dan Le Batard would mention him alongside Louis Riddick and Rex Ryan who have mainstream positions on ESPN. Of course, those candidates for NFL jobs don’t have the baggage that Gruden does and haven’t tried to sue the league over leaked e-mails. But it does show that no matter what may be in your past, a successful media career is always helpful when trying to build your case to NFL owners.
