Report: Jon Gruden present for QB Derek Carr's early work with Saints

Former Raiders coach Jon Gruden was among a handful of invitees who observed the New Orleans Saints voluntary offseason practice this week.

A person familiar with the situation confirmed Gruden’s presence during the Saints’ first week of volunteer practices with new quarterback Derek Carr, who posted some of his career-best passing numbers in Gruden-engineered offenses. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Friday on condition of anonymity because the club did not disclose the names of non-Saints coaches who attended practices.

There were also several active college coaches, the person said.

Gruden last coached in 2021 and retired five games that season after leaking emails criticizing people — including NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell — using homophobic and misogynistic terms.

The Saints held three practices this week. Only the first of these – on Tuesday – was open to the media.

The Times-Picayune first reported on Gruden’s visit.

NFL teams routinely invite members of the coaching profession at various levels to observe off-season practices and training camps, as well as to meet with members of the Saints coaching staff. Most such visits are in the name of professional development. Sometimes the hosts also ask for feedback from certain guests.

It remains to be seen if the 59-year-old Gruden, who coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the franchise’s first Super Bowl triumph in 2002, will try to work in the NFL again.

He has long-standing relationships with the Saints, whose former coach, Sean Payton, began his NFL career with Gruden on Ray Rhodes’ Philadelphia Eagles staff in 1997.

When Payton coached the Saints from 2006 through 2021, he led a version of the West Coast offense that bore some similarities to Gruden’s plans. The Saints offense is now overseen by coordinator Pete Carmichael, an offensive assistant during Payton’s entire stint with New Orleans.

Carmichael took over in 2022 after Payton – now coach of the Denver Broncos – retired for a year.

Carr has surpassed 4,000 meters in a season four times – all in consecutive seasons from 2018 to 2021. Gruden, whose first head coaching job came with the Raiders from 1998 to 2001, was rehired by the club in 2018. Although Gruden left during the 2021 season, the club’s offense remained the one he designed and installed until the Raiders hired current coach Josh McDaniels in 2022.