Gruden: Good chance he’ll return to Raiders
ALAMEDA » Jon Gruden says he had a good talk with Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis about returning to the organization for a second stint as coach and believes there is a “good chance” it will happen.
Gruden gave an interview to ESPN Radio on Wednesday to discuss his pursuit of the Raiders job that opened when Jack Del Rio was fired after a disappointing sixwin season.
“It’s been a long couple of weeks,” Gruden said. “I know they’ve gone through their process of interviewing candidates and until they’re done I won’t know. I did have a good meeting with Mark. I’ve known him a long time and got a lot of respect for the Raiders football organization.”
Gruden has been out of coaching the past nine years while serving as ESPN’s analyst for “Monday Night Football.” He is scheduled to work the network’s playoff game Saturday in Kansas City between the Chiefs and Tennessee Titans and could come back to the Raiders as soon as next week.
“I think there’s a good chance,” he said. “I’m excited about where I’m at in terms of studying the game and preparing to come back and coach. I just don’t want to sit here and speculate.”
Gruden apparently is already trying to put together a staff. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said he expected defensive coordinator Paul Guenther to interview with Oakland “at some point.”
Interim coach Spagnuolo interviews for Giants’ job
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. » The New York Giants have started the interview process for their head coaching job by starting with the man who ran the team for the final month of a disastrous season.
Interim coach Steve Spagnuolo was interviewed by new general manager Dave Gettleman, coowner John Mara and assistant general manager Kevin Abrams Wednesday, three days after the Giants (3-13) ended the season with an 18-10 win over Washington.
Spagnuolo posted a 1-3 record after being promoted from defensive coordinator to replace the fired Ben McAdoo on Dec. 4. He has head coaching experience, having guided the St. Louis Rams from 2009-11.
Spagnuolo also has worked for the Eagles, New Orleans and Baltimore.
This will be a busy week for the Giants. There are plans to interview Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, Patriots coordinators Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia, Broncos assistant head coach/running backs coach Eric Studesville and Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.
Bears interview Fangio
LAKE FOREST, ILL. » The Chicago Bears say they have interviewed defensive coordinator Vic Fangio for their head coaching job.
The interview was the first for the Bears since they fired John Fox two days earlier.
In his three seasons as Chicago’s defensive coordinator, Fangio has helped transform a unit that ranked among the worst in franchise history prior to his arrival. The Bears’ defense ranked 10th overall this season despite injuries to several key players, including linebacker Leonard Floyd.
Lions interview Vrabel
DETROIT » The Detroit Lions have interviewed Houston Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel for their coaching position.
The Lions announced the interview Wednesday, two days after coach Jim Caldwell was fired . Detroit has also interviewed its current defensive and offensive coordinators, Teryl Austin and Jim Bob Cooter.
Vrabel took over as defensive coordinator in 2017 after three seasons as Houston’s linebackers coach. He played 14 seasons in the NFL for Pittsburgh, New England and Kansas City, winning three Super Bowls with the Patriots.