TV personality Gruden should be Bills’ 2010 backup plan

By Anthony Bialy  |   Wednesday, May 20, 2009  |  Comments( 63 )

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Jon Gruden will upgrade the "Monday Night Football" booth this season. And he could upgrade the Buffalo Bills’ coaching position after that. Tony Kornheiser’s replacement could next take over for Dick Jauron, depending on if Buffalo’s current leader is able to break through his sub-mediocre tendencies. If Gruden wants to get back directly into football, he could find a home in Buffalo if Jauron can’t improve this year.

Gruden would be an improvement based just on record. Despite some rocky seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since they won their title, he’s still 95-77 as a head coach. And the operative phrase is “since they won their title,” as the demonically intense Gruden rode an unbelievable defense paired with a competent enough offense to a Super Bowl victory earlier this decade. While Tony Dungy deserves an incredible amount of credit for implementing a scheme that still makes opponents flinch, Gruden got them that last win.

Plus, while he doesn’t need excuses, Gruden did suffer from salary cap issues in his final seasons leading the Buccaneers. He also led the Oakland Raiders to a rare phase of contemporary respectability, which should be of particular note to another AFL franchise that’s currently a regular postseason outsider.

That’s especially true if Jauron can’t win with this squad. The Bills have pieced together enough talent to make tiresome excuses worthless. They own an interesting combination of capable veterans and promising youngsters who together simply need guidance.

He doesn’t have to replicate his 13-3 2001 with the Chicago Bears, otherwise known as his lone successful campaign as head coach. But he does have to improve the win quantity. Getting to .500 doesn’t count, either, as anything short of a return from playoff exile must be considered a failure for the coach with a 57-76 career record.

Luckily, the Bills will have at least one fine option to replace Jauron if he never delivers. Gruden won’t last forever as football analyst; if he doesn’t get canned for swearing on-air, he’ll definitely get the urge to return to coaching.

It’s about everyone finding his proper place. Even those who appreciate Kornheiser think he should be doing post- and not in-game commentary; similarly, Gruden’s true role is on the sidelines, not sitting in a booth and dissecting the actions of others on the sidelines.

He’ll be coaching the season after next, and it should be in Buffalo if Jauron again underperforms. This should be the last chance for the incumbent to demonstrate that his sleepytime personality is compatible with this roster. Of course, that now includes Terrell Owens; the coach and his new wideout are divergent enough that they could have a madcap CBS sitcom.

If Jauron can’t get this team to win more than seven times, it’s worth noting that Gruden would only turn 47 before the 2010 season. He’ll be eager to get back into the game, and Buffalo should already be considering making the television announcer its contingency plan for next season.

The issue is whether the Bills would simultaneously pay Gruden and the fired Jauron. But Ralph Wilson’s legendary stinginess can be dealt with after, or if, Jauron can’t get his team to play better. The franchise can hope for Jauron to succeed while preparing to suck up to Gruden if he doesn’t.
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