Hard pass: Florida Gators need no part of Jon Gruden

As things stand right now, Billy Napier is the head coach of the Florida Gators, and if things go well in 2025, Napier will still be the head coach of the Gators in 2026 and beyond.

It's also not unfair to state that Napier isn't a lock to survive the 2025 campaign. But if Florida does need a new coach for 2026, they need to stay far, far away from a man who has been trying to lobby his way into an SEC coaching job.

Jon Gruden wants an SEC job

Former NFL coach and Super Bowl champion with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jon Gruden, appeared at a speaking engagement with the Georgia Bulldogs and expressed a desire that he has floated before:

"The only reason I really came here is I want to coach again. I'm being honest with you, I do not bulls***, either. I want to coach again. I'd die to coach in the SEC. I would love it. I would f***ing love it."

If Napier doesn't make it, Florida shouldn't entertain the idea of Gruden even for a second.

Beyond the email controversy that forced him to resign in 2021, Gruden isn't the savant that he has portrayed himself to be.

He hasn't won a playoff game since winning the Super Bowl. To give an idea of how long ago that was, Napier was still a senior at Furman the last time Gruden won a playoff game in the NFL.

Gruden also hasn't had a ten-win season or better since 2006.

Jon Gruden is litteraly Jeff Fisher with a better PR team.

If that sounds harsh, Fisher has a career head coaching record (including playoffs) of .510. Gruden has a career record of .511. Litteraly, the only difference between Fisher and Gruden career-wise is that Mike Jones made a tackle at the one-yard line to deny Fisher a ring.

Gruden would draw eyeballs and would create a buzz, but that's not what Florida needs right now.

If all goes well in 2025, Florida will never need to enter into this conversation.

But if there is a vacancy, going after Gruden would fix nothing.