Jon Gruden is already wearing his game face.
The intense, enthusiastic former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders coach was definitely pumped up during an ESPN conference call this afternoon where he was announced as the replacement for Tony Kornheiser in the Monday Night Football booth.
“I would just like to say how proud I am and that I’m very excited to have this opportunity and how respectful I am of the job,” Gruden said. “I grew up watching Monday Night Football. It gives me extreme excitement. I have big shoes to fill. I’m thrilled to be a part of it and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
The former Super Bowl winning coach was asked several questions about how long he might work in television even though his agent stated earlier today that Gruden plans to work as a broadcaster for at least a few seasons. Gruden acknowledged that he “dearly misses coaching,” but doesn’t appear to be in a rush to get back on the sidelines.
“I just want to make a real contribution,” Gruden said. “If I do a good enough job, maybe I can hang in there and keep this job for a while.”
One of the toughest transitions for former players and coaches to make in broadcasting is being willing to be critical as they analyze the game.
“I’m going to try to do a good job,” Gruden said. “Whether that’s being critical or being honest or just being myself, I’m going to do everything I can to be fair and do a professional job. This is different, there’s no question, but the thrill of Monday Night Football encourages me. The lead song to Monday Night Football is in my CD deck. It gets me going. …
“I’ll be honest with you. I love the National Football League. It’s the best competition you can find and I miss it. I’m a very short-term, goal-oriented person. I’m really focused on what’s ahead. This is a great challenge. All I’m going to do is concentrate and prepare myself and be a part of a team, and I’m hoping to have some fun along the way with some great guys.”
Among Gruden’s favorite broadcasters are John Madden and Troy Aikman, noting that he would try to make his points succinctly in 25 words or less.
“I love Pat Summerall,” Gruden said. “Sometimes, you just want to let the players tell the story. You don’t want to say too much or confuse people. … Nobody has handed me a textbook on how to do it, but the most important thing I can do is be myself.
“I’ll try to be as confident and prepared as I can be, have some fun and try not to overwhelm people with what I know. I’ll be enthusiastic, prepared and have some fun.”
Gruden said that he plans to spend time watching a lot of film with Ron Jaworski to prepare for the upcoming season, praising Jaworski and Mike Tirico.
When asked if Matt Millen had been approached about the job, ESPN executive vice president Norby Williamson said that the network’s search for a successor to Kornheiser, “started and ended,” with Gruden.
At the start of the call, Williamson elaborated on Kornheiser’s decision to step away.
“I think the decision was weighing on Tony over the past few weeks since the Monday Night Football schedule came out,” Williamson said. “He did a phenomenal job of keeping up with the demands of the travel and the length of the season. It’s not like this is the first conversation we’ve had about travel.
“He ultimately came back to us and said, ‘I’ve had a great run. The time is right for me.’ We respect that. We thank him a thousand times over for everything he’s done for the network. He gave us everything he had for three years. You have to respect that and you have to move on.”