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Tennessee Vols: Don’t Expect Jon Gruden To Get Laid Off At ESPN

By Zach Ragan

OAKLAND, CA - NOVEMBER 18: Former head coach of the Oakland Raiders and now ESPN Monday Night Football Analyst Jon Gruden looks on during pre-game warm ups before an NFL football game between the New Orleans Saints and Oakland Raiders at O.co Coliseum on November 18, 2012 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - NOVEMBER 18: Former head coach of the Oakland Raiders and now ESPN Monday Night Football Analyst Jon Gruden looks on during pre-game warm ups before an NFL football game between the New Orleans Saints and Oakland Raiders at O.co Coliseum on November 18, 2012 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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Anytime the Tennessee Vols struggle, rumors of Jon Gruden to Knoxville get started.

Keeping up with the Tennessee Vols on a daily basis can be a bit of a struggle.

It seems like there’s never a dull moment, good or bad, when it comes to the Volunteers.

2017 has been no exception. In fact, it’s been more wild than usual this year. Butch Jones on the hot seat, fights among players and player arrests have been the talk of the town in Knoxville this fall.

And you know what else has been discussed to no end?

Jon Gruden.

It never fails. If the Vols are on the verge of a coaching search, Gruden’s name will be brought up.

Gruden famously told Tennessee “no thanks” in 2012. This past summer, he told a reporter that he’s not going to be a college coach.

But that hasn’t stopped fans from spreading “grumors”.

(Gruden added to the Grumors when he attended the South Carolina game a few weeks ago.)

One of the popular “grumors” suggests that Gruden could be the casualty of another wave of layoffs at ESPN.

A Clay Travis tweet on Thursday evening seemed to lend credence to that rumor.

Travis is probably right that there will be more layoffs at ESPN in the coming months.

But Gruden, despite his exorbitant salary, will almost certainly not be one of those cuts.

It’s no secret that NFL ratings are suffering this season — as are ESPN’s ratings.

And it’s also no secret that Monday Night Football is no longer considered the featured game of the week. In fact, it typically ends up being a terrible matchup. Gruden is literally one of the only reasons to watch.

Gruden is worth the money to ESPN. He helps make unwatchable games, watchable. Replacing him wouldn’t be easy.

Does Gruden make a boatload of money for not that much work?

Yes. But ESPN makes more off Gruden than they pay him. So it’s a partnership that works.

I’m still of the opinion that Gruden never coaches again. I unequivocally believe that Gruden is this generation’s John Madden.

If the Vols fire Butch Jones, there will be some great options out there.

But Jon Gruden won’t be one of those options.

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