Jon Gruden takes swipe at his brother in defending Khalil Mack trade
Is it some brotherly ribbing? Or Jon Gruden being a jerk when he was backed into a corner? Maybe a little of both?
You decide.
‘My brother didn’t get anything’
Oakland Raiders coach Jon Gruden met with media on Thursday at the NFL scouting combine, and of course the team’s trade of all-world pass-rusher Khalil Mack came up.
Gruden got defensive, and at one point took a swipe at his brother, Washington coach Jay Gruden.
“It’s hard to replace a guy like that,” Jon Gruden said. “It’s sensitive. I’m sensitive about it. I’m happy for Mack. I’m really thrilled for him and his future and all of that. He’s a hard guy to replace, and we’ll do everything we can. But I do know this: My brother didn’t get anything for Kirk Cousins except a compensatory pick.”
After failing to sign Cousins to a long-term contract, Washington saw the quarterback sign a fully guaranteed three-year, $84 million pact with the Vikings last year.
Earlier this week, Washington received the highest compensatory pick, No. 96 overall in the third round, for losing Cousins in free agency.
When the Raiders traded Mack to Chicago, they received the Bears’ first-round picks in 2019 and 2020, as well as a 2019 sixth-round and 2020 third-round picks (the Bears did get a 2019 second-rounder and conditional 2020 fifth-rounder in return).
‘I get tired of you bringing that up’
But throwing shade at his brother wasn’t all for Gruden. He also got flat-out annoyed at the mention of the Mack trade.
“I get tired of you bringing that up, Khalil Mack,” Gruden said when fans’ frustration with the deal came up. “We made the trade for a lot of reasons — whether it was popular or not. We did what we had to do in that situation. The fans that aren’t happy, we’re really sorry about that. We really are truly sorry. And I’m sorry.”
Because the Bears won the NFC North and made it to the playoffs, this year’s first-round pick is No. 24, likely not as high as Oakland expected when it made the trade.
‘I’m happy for Mack’
Though it doesn’t seem he generated much of a relationship with Mack before he was traded, Gruden did say he wishes him the best.
“I’m happy for Mack,” Gruden said. “Shoot, I’m really thrilled for him and his future and all of that. He’s a hard guy to replace, and we’ll do everything we can.”
After the Mack trade, Gruden commented more than once about the Raiders’ lack of a pass rush during the season. Oakland had just 13 sacks and 48 quarterback hits as a team; by comparison, the Bears had 50 sacks and 100 quarterback hits.
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