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Jerry Rice's Las Vegas Raiders have had a roller coaster of a season so far. From starting 3-0, to falling to 3-2, to losing Jon Gruden to winning against the Broncos in blowout fashion last Sunday. Every day is a new day for the team in black. Hall of Famer Jerry Rice gave his two cents on the Raiders' situation while speaking to Yahoo Sports.
"Everything else is a little crazy now. Now we have to sit back and watch this entire thing unfold."
Jerry Rice played for Jon Gruden back in the early 2000s. The two only worked together in 2001, explaining how the news about Gruden ultimately didn't exactly shake Rice to his core. Rice essentially said as much to Yahoo Sports.
"I really don’t have a strong reaction to that. I got the opportunity to go across the Bay and play for the Silver and Black," Rice said, never mentioning Gruden's name. "I got to play with Tim Brown, which was the icing on the cake for me. I always wanted to play with [Brown].
Jerry Rice on Jon Gruden and the Raiders' situation
It makes sense that Rice wouldn't care that much personally about the emails. Considering the two worked together more than 20 years ago for only a brief time, it would be odd if he was deeply offended by Gruden's emails. For those in their 20s, imagine learning about a scandal involving a first-grade teacher. For those in their 40s, imagine learning about a scandal involving a boss at their first job.
Essentially, some people don't matter in the long run and Gruden was not a bit part of Rice's life when all was said and done. By 2000, Rice had already seen most of his time in the NFL. He had already reached his peak. While he made a Super Bowl appearance with the Raiders in 2002 and had two more 1000-yard seasons, most remember Rice as a San Francisco 49er.
Of course, Rice likely processed his feelings about Gruden 20 years ago, when he beat Rice's Raiders in the Super Bowl as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Is it possible, as a result of the loss, that Rice silently fist-pumped when the news about Gruden broke?
As a seasoned veteran in dealing with the media after all of his years in the NFL, Rice may have instinctually avoided answering any tough questions.
Is there more under the surface? It seems likely, but he may never reveal his true feelings on the matter. Now 4-3, Rice's team has their hands full with a potential shot at a playoff spot. To make it happen, they will need to follow Rice's example and move on while remaining focused on the next game.
