Gruden warns football is 'dissolving' amid coaching interest and NFL lawsuit

Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden has issued a stark assessment of the current state of American football, arguing that the sport is "dissolving" rather than evolving. Speaking on the "Not Just Football" podcast alongside Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward, Gruden expressed deep concern over the declining quality of quarterback development in the college ranks, a pipeline that feeds directly into the professional league.

Gruden, who currently works for Barstool Sports and maintains a front-row seat to emerging talent through his previous "Gruden's QB Camp" initiatives, identified a critical breakdown in communication as the primary driver of this decline. He emphasised the importance of the "RCE" framework—recognising the defence, recognising the coverage, and communicating changes to the play. According to Gruden, the inability of quarterbacks to effectively identify defensive alignments and relay adjustments is undermining execution at every level.

A specific point of contention for the former coach is the prevalence of non-verbal cues, particularly hand-clap cadences, over traditional verbal signals. Gruden referenced a viral clip from prior to the 2025 NFL Draft featuring New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart to illustrate his point. He argued that relying on claps instead of clear verbal commands leads to frequent false starts, particularly when combined with complex offensive schemes like RPO bubble screens and high-tempo plays.

The root of this instability, Gruden suggested, lies in the transient nature of modern college football. He noted that many quarterbacks now transfer between four or five different institutions, disrupting the continuity and repetition necessary for mastery. Gruden stressed that consistent repetition against the same defensive structures over several years is essential for developing the technical skills required for the game, a process he feels is being eroded by the current transfer culture.

Despite his criticisms of the current system, Gruden indicated he is open to returning to a coaching role. He revealed that he has held preliminary discussions with several colleges regarding potential positions. However, he expressed uncertainty about whether he is willing to navigate the fundraising demands associated with the modern college game, particularly under the current Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) landscape.

Gruden’s potential return comes against the backdrop of an ongoing legal dispute with the NFL. He is currently involved in a lawsuit alleging that the league deliberately leaked disparaging emails he wrote, which led to his resignation from the Oakland and Las Vegas Raiders. While he remains with Barstool Sports, Gruden admitted he would "love to get into a locker room and start putting together some game plans again," suggesting that the door to coaching may eventually reopen for him.