EXCLUSIVE: "That's not Jon Gruden" - Ronde Barber weighs in on disturbing reports about ex-Raiders HC

Jon Gruden was the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for seven seasons (2002 – 2008). They won a Super Bowl in the 2002 season. Ronde Barber, who was on that Tampa Bay team that won the Super Bowl, shared his thoughts on his former head coach. In an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda, Barber said that the reports don’t coincide with the Jon Gruden he knows. He said he'd had a conversation with his former head coach:

“To answer your question, and I remember your question from before, I didn’t believe in those things, what they were saying about his personality. He owned up to it. I talked to him. I called him after, and he said he was embarrassing, younger.

"But knowing him personally, or, at least, knowing him like I think I know him, that's not Jon Gruden. Jon, who'll obviously have to answer for it, because people have evidence of it. But the man that I know is not at all as he's been portrayed in the past year. Absolutely.”

Barber spoke of the contrast between the head coach and that of Tony Dungy, who was his first head coach when he entered the league in 1997:

“Tony Dungy... awe-inspiring type of personality to be around my first five years in Tampa, and then come Jon Gruden, who's unlike either one of those. He's like a fire and brimstone type of guy, you know, he's an energy drink.

"And it really impacted bringing that kind of energy. And he did it every day, and I just feel pumped up to listen to his speeches, not only his pregame speeches which are legendary, but you know, when he talked to us during the week. He was great at presenting his message and pushing his energy on us as a team. “

The five-time Pro Bowl cornerback went on to say that he still has a relationship with the head coach:

“He ended up becoming my head coach, my longest senior head coach for nine years. And obviously, he was one of my favorites. I was one of his favorites. So, we had a friendship. He still lives in Tampa. So, I know him.”

Gruden and his resignation as Raiders head coach

Chicago Bears v Las Vegas Raiders

He resigned from his position as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders in October 2021. Several condemning emails were reported by the media. The emails were discovered during the NFL’s inquiry into the Washington Football Team. The emails reveal that, in 2011, he used a racial slur to denounce NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith.

It was also reported that other emails had homophobic, misogynistic, and sexist remarks. These revelations led to him stepping down as the Raiders head coach.

Gruden is currently suing the NFL. He alleges the league and commissioner Roger Goodell created "a malicious and orchestrated campaign" to disclose unprofessional emails sent by him between 2010 and 2018.

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