Two training camps ago, we got in touch with a handful of Jon Gruden’s former players from the Buccaneers to talk about the man they remembered and the one they thought might reemerge on the sidelines in Oakland. Jeff Garcia, who took a majority of the snaps for Gruden’s last two teams in Tampa, recalled the unsettling vibe during the team’s 2008 training camp, which coincided with Gruden’s not-so-secret pursuit of Brett Favre (who would end up with the Jets despite Gruden believing he’d locked Favre up).
It brought to light what we have always known about Gruden: He loves experienced, veteran quarterbacks.