Jon Gruden said he had “unfinished business” with the Raiders, the team that traded him away in 2002 after four seasons as head coach, and 16 years later handed him the job again.
“I never wanted to leave the Raiders,” Gruden said at Tuesday’s introductory press conference. “I never thought I’d be back. But here I am, and I’m ready to get to work.”
The Raiders rolled out the silver-and-black carpet for Gruden’s return, staging the event in their recently built weight room and packing the room with franchise luminaries. A video tribute to Gruden played before he took the stage, flanked to his right by owner Mark Davis and to his left by general manager Reggie McKenzie.