Jon Gruden hasn't done much NFL work over the past five years, but it looks like he'll be back covering the league in a broadcasting role for the upcoming preseason.
On Thursday, it was announced that Gruden will be on the call for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' preseason home game against the Kansas City Chiefs. He will be teaming up with Ronde Barber, his former longtime cornerback on the Bucs from his coaching days.
"Two franchise icons are back together again. 🏴☠️ Super Bowl-winning head coach & Buccaneers Ring of Honor inductee @BarstoolGruden joins Pro Football Hall of Famer & Buccaneers Ring of Honor inductee @rondebarber in the broadcast booth when we host the Kansas City Chiefs," the Bucs announced today.
Buccaneers fans were understandably excited to see the two working together again:
"Fire dem cannons already, we await the moment," one user wrote on X.
"Outstanding! Can't wait to watch @BarstoolGruden and @rondebarber team up to call the Bucs vs. Chiefs game in the preseason on @WFLA News Channel 8!" wrote another.
"If the commentary’s as legendary as the duo, I’ll need popcorn and a time machine to keep up," a third remarked.
Gruden and the Bucs
Gruden joined the Buccaneers in 2002 and immediately turned the once-hapless team into a champion, taking down the Oakland Raiders (his former team) in Super Bowl XXXVII for the franchise's first-ever title.
Though he was fired after a disappointing 2008 season, he was inducted into the team's Ring of Honor (then removed in 2021 before being reinstated last year).
Gruden has said that his new goal is to become a play-by-play announcer.
Barber was a core member of the Bucs at the time, earning All-Pro honors that season and putting on a superb playoff performance, notching two interceptions, a pick-six and 10 passes defended in their three postseason games.
Barber would go on to play all 16 of his NFL seasons with the Buccaneers, setting multiple records as a cornerback en route to Hall of Fame induction in 2023.
