Jon Gruden addresses Rams speculation, says he has no plans to leave ESPN ‘right now’

As soon as the Rams fired Jeff Fisher this month, folks started wondering if Jon Gruden might be the new head coach next season.

Of course, Gruden’s name seems to come up pretty much every time there’s a head coaching vacancy in the NFL, after he resurrected the Oakland Raiders and led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl victory before settling in as the color analyst on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” the last eight seasons.

But Gruden said Wednesday that he has no plans to leave his broadcasting gig.

“Right now I have no intentions of coaching,” Gruden said on ESPN’s “Mike and Mike.” I really enjoy what I’m doing, and I feel like I’m really close to the fire and I’m getting plenty of satisfaction out of doing what I’m doing.”

Gruden is under contract with ESPN through the 2021 season.

Times NFL columnist Sam Farmer reported Dec. 10 that people close to Gruden have indicated he would listen to a pitch from the Rams. Farmer also pointed out that Gruden and top Rams executive Kevin Demoff worked together with the Buccaneers.

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