Florio mentioned the other day that Jon Gruden had been conspicuously quiet about reports that he could return to coaching in 2012. Now Gruden has come forward to say that he intends to remain in the broadcast booth.
“I love my job and I’ll be back at ESPN with the guys,” Gruden told the Tampa Tribune. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Regarding the report that Gruden could join A.J. Smith as a coach-G.M. team in St. Louis next season, Gruden said that’s not happening.
“I enjoy being with our ESPN team,” Gruden said. “I’m staying put.”
There’s still plenty of time for the 48-year-old Gruden to get the itch to coach again and leave Monday Night Football behind, but for now, he insists that he won’t be back on the sidelines.