Did Jon Gruden Betray His 2018 Plans While Praising Trubisky?

Make no mistake. The next 12 games are going to decide a lot about the Chicago Bears' future. None more so than the fate of their head coach. John Fox is 10-26 since taking over in 2015 and has just five wins since the start of December that year. Everything will be banked on what happens moving forward, especially regarding the development of rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky. If he doesn't show progress, it's likely GM Ryan Pace will find somebody else to do the job. Many people are clamoring for Jon Gruden. This isn't the first time his name has been tossed in the hat. Ever since retiring in 2009 he's had his name linked to multiple comeback rumors. Thus far he's stuck by his insistence he enjoys his new job as analyst for Monday Night Football. He's 54-years old now. Not old by NFL standards but certainly staring down that point of no return. It's been speculated that nothing short of ideal circumstances would draw him back to the sidelines. That means a team with a quarterback he can work with. Thus far it hasn't happened. Could that be about to change?

Jon Gruden hiatus could be approaching an end

There's a reason Gruden remains such a valued name. He has a Super Bowl ring for starters. Also he's built a reputation for getting the most out of his quarterbacks. He got guys like Rich Gannon, Brad Johnson and Jeff Garcia to Pro Bowls. Truth be told he never had a top five draft pick during his run. All three men were free agents from other teams. That only enhances the success he had. What has sparked recent buzz came from an article by Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report. He talked with Gruden about his current work at ESPN and whether he was flattered by being attached to coaching rumors every year. The answer he got was rather revealing.

“I’ve met with several people – I won’t deny that,” Gruden said. “People – just about every year I talk about coming back to coach. I’m not in here every day at 4:30 or 4:00 in the morning watching pinball. You know? I’m preparing myself to come back. I am. Every day. I’m preparing to come back. It helps me in my broadcasting and I think if you lose that edge … you can’t come back unless you are totally wired with college football, personnel, schemes, the CBA, how people are practicing, trends, you know. You’ve got stay on top of this stuff.”

So why hasn't he made the jump? As stated earlier he loves his job at ESPN, but there is another factor. His son Jayson is still in high school. He may be waiting until the young man is off to college. Jayson is a senior in 2018. So if Gruden was thinking about a move, it would likely start then. So what does this have to do with the Bears?

Gruden is becoming a bigger fan of Trubisky by the day

Trubisky is set to make his NFL debut on Monday Night against the Minnesota Vikings. This has put Gurden, with all his QB expertise, front and center. He had a lot to say regarding the Bears' decision to go with the rookie. He's in favor of it, believing Trubisky has the qualities to give the team a jolt they clearly need. Where it got interesting was later in the conversation. He got to talking about his experience with Mitch when they met before the draft. More and more the former coach couldn't hide his admiration for the young man. Then one of the sentences he uttered got really interesting.

"Why he went to North Carolina was a theme that was on my show. Why the hell would you go to North Carolina? It's a basketball school but that is where he chose to go. He had to redshirt. had to wait patiently. He was loyal. He had all the intangibles I was looking for. He's a great kid. He learns fast. He has leadership traits. Tough. And he has plenty of arm talent. Plenty of athleticism. He really wants to do well. There is a burning desire inside of him. It's going to be contagious. I think the Bears players, I think everyone is going to be elevated a little bit when he jogs out there Monday night. I really believe that. Do not underestimate Mitch Trubisky. Don't do it. You might be making a big mistake."

"All the intangibles I was looking for."

Not "the Bears" were looking for. HE was looking for. Now it's possible that Gruden may have just not phrased it right, but let's remember something. This is a man who is known for his insane attention to detail. Listen to how he talks in interviews and on television. These are not the kinds of vocal flubs he makes. Is it possible Gruden betrayed his interest in ending his retirement? There are reasons to think it is. For one Trubisky is uniquely built to run a West Coast-style offense like Gruden ran in Oakland and Tampa. It requires a quarterback who is smart, accurate and mobile. He checks all those boxes. Then there's another key fact. Gruden is from Ohio. Just like Mitch. He was born in Sandusky and went to college at Dayton. That means the two already have a ton in common and would know how the other communicates. Each has an unending level of dedication to the game and a relentless competitive drive. Truth be told if ever there was a quarterback Gruden was waiting for, it might be Trubisky.