Jon Gruden lands NFL play-by-play gig amid league lawsuit
Jon Gruden is reportedly set to call an NFL preseason game next month on play-by-play, according to Ira Kaufman of JoeBucsFan, a notable TV return while his lawsuit against the NFL advances in Nevada court and he keeps pushing for another coaching job.
Key Takeaways
- Reporter Ira Kaufman says Jon Gruden will do play-by-play on an NFL preseason game in about a month.
- Gruden told the Ira Kaufman Podcast he wants to transition from analyst work into play-by-play, citing Frank Gifford and Mike Tirico.
- The broadcast move comes as Gruden’s civil case against the NFL continues after Nevada Supreme Court rulings favored court over arbitration.
- He remains vocal about wanting to coach again and has built a Barstool Sports profile since leaving the Raiders in 2021.
For fans hunting where football airs and who is on the call, this story fits squarely with our Streaming & TV Alerts coverage.
What broadcasting role is Jon Gruden expected to take?
Kaufman told 95.7 WDAE that Gruden will handle play-by-play on an NFL game “in about a month,” adding he is “not fooling around about this stuff.” Fox News reported Kaufman also believes the assignment is play-by-play for a preseason telecast, though Gruden’s agency did not immediately respond to that outlet.
Details such as the exact teams, network package, and booth partners have not been formally confirmed in the reporting cited here. JoeBucsFan earlier flagged that a more formal announcement should follow.
Why does Jon Gruden want a play-by-play job?
During a podcast sit-down after meeting Kaufman in Tampa, Gruden said he spent nine years as a broadcaster and now wants the play-by-play chair. “I want to be play-by-play,” he said, pointing to Frank Gifford’s transition and years watching Mike Tirico.
He also floated interest in the vacant Buccaneers radio play-by-play role once held by Gene Deckerhoff, while stressing a national-scale ambition. That ambition sits alongside his Barstool Sports work, including film-study style QB content similar to his old ESPN style.
How does this fit with his ongoing NFL lawsuit?
Gruden left the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021 after leaked emails from his ESPN and Monday Night Football years showed racist, sexist, and homophobic language. He later sued the league, alleging a “malicious and orchestrated campaign” tied to those leaks.
Fox News noted his case cleared a major hurdle when the Nevada Supreme Court said it could proceed in court rather than arbitration, then denied the NFL’s bid to reconsider. Even so, Gruden has kept saying he wants back on a sideline and has dismissed reports that the New York Jets offered him a role.
Whether one preseason call becomes a lasting booth career is still unclear. For now, the reported gig is the clearest signal yet that Jon Gruden is serious about reinventing himself behind the microphone while the legal fight rolls on.