ESPN announced on Monday that Jon Gruden has made a long-term commitment to serving as a commentator on Monday Night Football, and that he won’t be entertaining any coaching offers.
But Gruden acknowledges that he’ll likely be back on the sidelines again at some point.
“I’m 46 years old. I probably will coach again,” Gruden told Peter King of SI.com. “I miss the opportunity to coach players, to help them get better. I really miss the competition. But I don’t miss the agony.’'
Gruden still sounds like a coach at heart, even talking during Monday night’s game about wanting to hire Ed Reed as an assistant. But Gruden told King that for now, he’s happy enough sharing the booth with Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski that he’s willing to say he won’t coach in 2010.
“I love this game very much,” Gruden said. “This job gives me the opportunity to see the game at a different angle, and I’ll be honest -- I just fell in love with it. I want to get good at it. I really like the team I’m on at ESPN. They’re really trying to help me be good.’'
So for now, Gruden says he can be satisfied staying in the booth. Even if he knows the time will come when he wants to be on the sideline.