If Not Bill Belichick, Could Jon Gruden Be the Jaguars' Answer?

The Jacksonville Jaguars will likely go for a head coach this offseason. Although one legend has been tied to the franchise, could a different Super Bowl-winning option be the route to take?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden holds up the Vince Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA on Jan. 26, 2003. Xxx Axx Letfeat 29 S Fbn Ca / ROBERT HANASHIRO / USA TODAY NETWORK

At 2-9 and in firm position to snag the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars' 2024 season is all but over.

So it the likelihood that head coach Doug Pederson remains at his post in the coming months. Same with general manager Trent Baalke.

All season, we have reported that the No. 1 candidate to turn a competent Jaguars roster into a real winner is Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Belichick.

The stars are seemingly aligned -- Belichick has good relationship with owner Shad Khan, he has a place right down the road in Florida, Khan is the right fit as an owner, the roster is solid and the Jaguars have a franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence. For a coach that is on the brink of Don Shula's all-time wins record, it seems like the obvious choice.

For the Jaguars to land Belichick, Khan needs to get on it -- soon. Belichick is a hot commodity.

However, if the Jaguars are unable to secure Belichick, they could take a look at former Super Bowl-winning head coach Jon Gruden. Gruden was fired in 2021 from the Las Vegas Raiders after old emails were leaked, of which there is an ongoing lawsuit against the NFL.

If the case reaches discovery, many believe commissioner Roger Goodell could lose his job.

Gruden just signed a deal with Barstool Sports, but it is well-known that the football guru wants to get back into coaching. It could be a slam-dunk move for the Jaguars.

Gruden was in the midst of turning the Raiders around at the time out his ousting. He has 15 seasons of experience -- winning experience. 117-112 record, which is impressive when you consider he had to take over several rebuilding franchises, or at the very least, losing ones.

Of course, there is his Super Bowl championship win with the Tamp Bay Buccaneers in 2003 -- which brings another point: Florida. Gruden is a hero in Florida for what he did with Tampa Bay, and he still resides there.

Gruden is still deep into the goings on in the NFL, as exhibited week-in and week-out on his excellent YouTube channel, "Gruden Loves Football." He still exhibits one of the best football minds around with in-depth analysis and it is abundantly clear that if he were to take over a team, he would have no difficulty getting back into the high-octane, every-changing world of the X's and O's.

When Gruden sleeps, he doesn't count sheep. He dreams of run-pass options, quarterbacks that keep two hands on the ball, and "Spider 2 Y Banana."

That's another thing -- Gruden is the rare combination of world-class football strategist and impassioned leader of men. That balance is exactly what the Jaguars organization could use to revitalize what should be it's best team ever assembled.

Franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence would be the perfect partnership for Gruden, a well-respected quarterback whisperer. It could mean unlocking the best from Lawrence, a generational talent who has yet to reach that next level of elite NFL signal-caller status, which has been the expectation since before he had a driver's license.

The energy Gruden would infuse within the building on Day 1 would be unmistakable. A massive shift from the previous regime.

Gruden is the epitome of a football coach -- and that is exactly what Duval needs.

And deserves.

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