'Hard Knocks' teaser? Jon Gruden (hearts) Antonio Brown

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Yes, Jon Gruden supports Antonio Brown. The Oakland Raiders coach has said as much in recent days.

But it goes deeper than that. A lot deeper.

Episode 3 of "Hard Knocks" showed just how much Gruden likes and backs his mercurial receiver, who has battled issues from his head (his well-documented non-certified helmet issues) to his toes (frostbitten feet thanks to a cryotherapy mishap in France last month), with Gruden going deeper in personal conversations with Brown than anything he has said publicly.

"I give the guy credit for standing up for what he believes in," Gruden says early in the show. "Everybody else does in this country."

Later, after Brown returned to the team…