Jon Gruden

Jon Gruden was born in Sandusky, OH. His father, Jim, was a professional football scout and a running backs coach. Jon's brother Jay is also in the family business, having played and coached in the Arena Football League. Jay later made the jump as an assistant coach in the National Football League, where he served as offensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals. But this is a bio of Jon -- not Jay or Jim -- though the latter worked as an assistant coach to Dan Devine at the University of Notre Dame while Jon Gruden attended Clay High School in South Bend, Indiana. Upon graduating, Gruden attended Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio. He later transferred to the University of Dayton, where for three years he lettered as a back-up quarterback on Mike Kelly's squad. Gruden graduated with a degree in communications in 1985. After, Gruden was hired as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Tennessee for the 1985-1986 season. There he met his wife, Cindy Brooks, a Volunteers cheerleader. After leaving Tennessee, he spent two years as the quarterbacks coach at Southeast Missouri State. Following that stint, the coach went to the University of the Pacific in 1989 as the tight ends coach. His next stop would be the big time: The National Football League. But it wouldn't be for long -- at least not his first time. Gruden went to the San Francisco 49ers as a special assistant to quarterback coach Mike Holmgren. But in 1991, Gruden rejoined the college ranks as the wide receivers coach at the University of Pittsburgh. But Holmgren would bring Gruden back to the pros in 1992 via the Green Bay Packers. After three seasons, it was off to Philadelphia, where Gruden became the offensive coordinator for the Eagles. Three more seasons later, Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis hired Gruden to be his team's head coach. In his third season, the Raiders fell in the AFC Championship game to the ultimate Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens. Following the loss, Gruden was actually traded to the Tampa Bay Bucs, where he would win Super Bowl XXXVII over his ex-team. After an up and down career in Tampa Bay, Gruden was hired as a color analyst on ESPN's "Monday Night Football" (ABC/ESPN, 1970-) telecasts. He also called college football bowl games for the Worldwide Leader and even starred in the series "Jon Gruden's QB Camp" (ESPN, 2012-) where he went over game tape with prospective NFL rookie quarterback's. In October of 2011, Gruden signed a contract extension to stay with ESPN through 2017.