TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Gruden Speaks Out For First Time Since Dismissal

Tribune photo by CLIFF McBRIDE

Gruden said he was disappointed by criticism levied against him by quarterback Jeff Garcia and wide receiver Michael Clayton after he was fired.

ADVERTISEMENT

By IRA KAUFMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 7, 2009

TAMPA - In his first interview with the local media since being dismissal as head coach Jan. 16, Jon Gruden vowed to be "the biggest Bucs fan'' in 2009 and gave a detailed account of how he was fired.

Gruden sat down with the Tampa Tribune and the Orlando Sentinel for a wide-ranging and frank discussion of his accomplishments and failures in seven seasons on the Tampa Bay sidelines and talked about how he is spending his new-found free time reinventing himself as a football coach.

"I'm the president of the FFCA – the Fired Football Coaches of America,'' Gruden said with a laugh over drinks at a local restaurant. "I'm not being sarcastic. It's the first time I've ever been fired. It was hard. Man, I'm not good enough. The thing I'm struggling with is I really miss football. My spirits are good. Mike Shanahan got fired, Mike Holmgren's out of football, Brian Billick's out of football. It's the reality of it. I'm really proud of working hard. I've always been taught you can always look yourself in the eye. Is that the best you got? Is that the best you can do? I'm not going to criticize anybody, ever. It's the best I could do.''

Gruden said Tampa Bay Storm coach Tim Marcum invited him to work out of an office at the Forum, where he has been watching collegiate tapes and arranging football clinics and appearances.

He lauded Gator coach Urban Meyer and suggested Florida quarterback Tim Tebow could "revolutionize'' the pro game when he is eligible for the 2010 draft.

"He's like Brandon Jacobs playing quarterback,'' Gruden said. "Tim Tebow is 250 pounds and he's the strongest human being that's ever played the position. He can throw well enough at any level.''

Gruden and his wife, Cindy, were enjoying a pizza and planning to see Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino'' on that fateful Friday evening when GM Bruce Allen called and said the Glazers were making a change. Three weeks later, Gruden praised Tampa Bay's owners.

"They're the best, they really are,'' he said. "They gave up a lot, obviously, to get me here and when I got here I felt a responsibility to do everything I could to help them win. Obviously, I didn't do well enough to continue. But I have a lot of great memories of Tampa. This is where my mom and dad live. This is where I live. This is where I want to be.''

Gruden said he was disappointed by criticism levied against him by quarterback Jeff Garcia and wide receiver Michael Clayton after he was fired. Former Tampa Bay defensive end Simeon Rice was particularly harsh with his comments, terming Gruden "a scumbag.''

"Yeah, it hurts,'' said Gruden, who went 60-57 after arriving in Tampa in 2002, "but I've had some of the greatest phone calls, too. I'm disappointed that I'm a scumbag, disappointed that I couldn't get along with the quarterback because I live my life through the quarterback. Mike Clayton has his own opinion and I respect it.''

Asked whether he would change anything about his coaching tenure in Tampa, Gruden said he had no regrets.

"I worked as hard as I could work,'' he said. "I feel a great sense of accomplishment. I also feel a great loss. I did my best. My body of work is out there for everybody to evaluate.''

A story in Sunday's Tribune will include more of Gruden's comments, including his take on his successor, Raheem Morris, and new GM Mark Dominik.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT