ALAMEDA — For almost an hour straight before Jon Gruden arrived, the weight room at Raiders headquarters buzzed with former players, current high-ranking staffers, media and anyone and everyone wanting a glimpse at Gruden’s official return to coaching.
Hundreds of people filled the room, transformed from a full workout facility to a press conference hall with weight racks and lifting benches – oh, and a music booth – to the side. A black turf carpet with white letters spelling “Raiders” led from the back of the room to the front, almost 30 rows of chairs lining the sides.