Dennis Allen explains why he invited disgraced ex-Raiders coach Jon Gruden to Saints practice
Days after Jon Gruden visited practice, New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen explained why he invited the disgraced former Las Vegas Raiders coach to join the team.
Allen discussed the decision Tuesday after practice, telling reporters that he valued Gruden's input on first-year Saints quarterback Derek Carr, whom Gruden coached in Oakland and Las Vegas.
"Look, I mean, No. 1, we've had several coaches come and visit," Allen said, per ESPN's Katherine Terrell. "Obviously, Jon's a guy that has a lot of experience with Derek, and Derek has had his most success under Jon Gruden.
"And so we felt like bringing him in, having a chance to sit down and visit with him as an offensive staff, with the quarterbacks and just getting some new thoughts and ideas of things we might be able to implement."
Gruden spent 15 seasons in the NFL as a head coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and multiple stints with the Raiders. He coached the Bucs to their first Super Bowl championship following the 2002 season. The Raiders hired him out of retirement for his second stint with the franchise in 2018 with the lure of a 10-year, $100 million contract.
Gruden resigned in 2021 following a New York Times report that exposed racist, anti-gay and misogynistic emails he exchanged over the course of years with ex-Washington Commanders executive Bruce Allen and others. Gruden issued his resignation hours after the report was published on the Monday following Week 5 of the 2021 season. The Bucs removed his name from their Ring of Honor the following day. Gruden has not worked in or around the NFL since.
Reports of Gruden's visit with the Saints prompted speculation that he was making an effort to return to the NFL. It also raised questions about why Allen invited Gruden to team facilities. When asked to address the potential backlash of welcoming a man who reportedly sent racist, anti-gay and misogynistic correspondence, Allen kept the subject on football.
"No, look, you ask everybody that was involved, and they thought it was really beneficial for our football team," Allen said. "And look, we're going to look at any avenue that we can to try to improve. So that was one area we thought, just bringing him in and having the opportunity to sit down and visit with him, would help us."
