Jon Gruden eyeing NFL return: 3 best landing spots for a 2026 coaching comeback

After a hiatus from coaching stemming from the infamous release of controversial emails that led to his resignation as Raiders head coach in 2021, as well as his temporary removal from the Buccaneers Ring of Honor—where he has since been re-enshrined—Jon Gruden is once again eyeing a return to the NFL.

Gruden re-emerged in the public eye in 2024 through his YouTube channel, where he created compelling football content that helped him rehabilitate his image. He later joined Barstool Sports and quickly became a social media star, and one of their most popular personalities.

But according to Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds, Gruden doesn’t just want to be a media personality anymore—he wants to be back on the sidelines.

And while it’s too late for that dream to become a reality in 2025, Gruden’s leaguewide connections and proven track record could make him a hot candidate in the 2026 coaching cycle.

Top 3 potential landing spots for Jon Gruden’s NFL coaching return

3. Miami Dolphins

Head coach Mike McDaniel has seemingly found himself on the hot seat, which felt almost unthinkable given how strong his tenure started.

McDaniel holds a 28-23 record as the Dolphins’ head coach from 2022 to 2024, and last season's 8-9 effort marked the first time Miami failed to reach the playoffs under his leadership.

Calling for change after one down year might feel harsh, but criticism has grown louder around the team’s lack of discipline and McDaniel’s perceived lack of control over the locker room. Some players have even labeled the Dolphins as soft.

"You can just tell, the Miami culture is a reason why Miami will never be good. Miami will never be a good football team," said former Dolphins safety Deshon Elliott in an appearance on Punch Line Podcast with Marlon Humphrey. "Last year, I played for a team that was soft as f—,” said Elliot, who left Miami to sign with the Steelers following the 2023 season.

While McDaniel and Jon Gruden are both respected offensive minds, their coaching styles couldn’t be more different. That’s not to say Gruden isn’t player-friendly—he absolutely is—but his teams have never been known for being soft or undisciplined. If anything, it’s quite the opposite.

Gruden, who lives in Tampa, wouldn’t even have to leave his home state to coach the Dolphins. He could also be intrigued by the quarterback situation in Miami, and the options it presents.

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is under contract through 2028, but his guaranteed money only runs through 2026. If Gruden were hired heading into next season, 2026 could serve as an evaluation year before deciding whether to stick with Tua or hand-pick his own quarterback going forward.

The culture in Miami seemingly needs a reset, and Gruden might be the perfect man for the job.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

Mike Tomlin is entering his 18th year as the Steelers’ head coach in 2025 and has still never finished below .500. The organization values continuity, and Tomlin is a proven winner, so why even consider a change?

Well, the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since the 2016-17 season and haven’t won the AFC North title since 2020. In all four of their recent playoff appearances, they've been eliminated in the wild card round, and the skid includes six consecutive postseason losses. So while Pittsburgh remains competitive year after year, they’ve clearly hit a frustrating plateau.

Winning 9 or 10 games a season only to lose in the first round of the postseason isn’t the standard for a franchise as storied as the Steelers, and there’s growing frustration over the lack of meaningful playoff success.

After an aggressive offseason headlined by signing Aaron Rodgers and trading for both DK Metcalf and Jalen Ramsey, the pressure is now on Tomlin to finally lead a deep playoff run. If he doesn’t, a shakeup may be on the horizon, and a new voice could be what this locker room needs.

But if you’re going to move on from someone as respected as Tomlin, you can’t replace him with just anybody. Jon Gruden, a Super Bowl-winning head coach, wouldn’t shy away from the pressure and expectations that would inevitably come with succeeding Tomlin and coaching the Steelers.

Rodgers has already indicated that he’s likely to retire after the season, and one might think Gruden would hesitate to return to the NFL to take on such an uncertain quarterback situation. But Pittsburgh already has a young quarterback that Gruden is absolutely in love with.

“How the hell do people not like you as the No. 1 QB in the draft?” Gruden directly asked Steelers rookie quarterback Will Howard during an episode of Gruden’s QB Class ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Gruden didn’t stop there. After the Steelers selected Howard in the sixth round, Gruden called him a “steal” on SiriusXM NFL Radio and compared him to Bills quarterback Josh Allen. He praised Howard’s winning background, athleticism, toughness, and ability to play in cold weather—all traits that are crucial to life as a quarterback in the AFC North.

Gruden and Howard displayed real chemistry during their film session together on Gruden’s QB Class. He could be the perfect match to help get the best out of Howard as the Steelers’ potential future franchise quarterback and usher in a new era of football in Pittsburgh.

1. Cincinnati Bengals

If the Cincinnati Bengals suffer another disappointing season in 2025, it could be the final year for head coach Zac Taylor, who finds himself on the hot seat going into the campaign.

The Bengals started 1-3 in 2023 and followed that up with a 1-4 start in 2024. Those slow starts have notoriously held the team back, and despite boasting one of the league’s most explosive offenses led by quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals missed the playoffs last season.

Burrow had the best statistical season of his career, throwing for nearly 5,000 yards along with 43 touchdowns, yet it still wasn’t enough to save Cincinnati’s season.

Taylor did guide the Bengals to a Super Bowl 56 appearance, but the team has failed to replicate that success. There’s a growing sense the organization may be running out of patience, and if things don’t change in 2025, Cincinnati could look to shake up its leadership.

Enter: Jon Gruden.

Gruden was born and raised in Sandusky, Ohio, and even played quarterback for the University of Dayton. He’s an offensive guru with a passion for quarterback play, and he’s a huge fan of Burrow, a fellow Ohio native.

Despite the Bengals missing the playoffs in 2024, Gruden declared Burrow as his choice for MVP.

Gruden is known for his relentless nature, high expectations, and refusal to tolerate lapses in effort or discipline. His intense coaching style might be exactly what the Bengals need to break the cycle of slow starts and underperformance.

Between his Ohio roots, his admiration for Burrow, and his résumé as a Super Bowl-winning head coach, Gruden is the perfect fit for Cincinnati if the Bengals choose to move on from Taylor after the 2025 season. And for a franchise looking to recapture its edge and capitalize on its Super Bowl window, this could be a match made in football heaven.

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