In 2011, Jon Gruden wasn’t an NFL head coach. But he was very much a part of the machinery.
Not only was he climbing up the star ranks at ESPN, he was making millions off his NFL resume and the fame it facilitated. Eventually, those millions would turn into many millions every single year as the network’s highest paid on-air talent. And almost all of the money rolled through NFL doors that were left wide open for him. Whether it was Gruden’s visits to NFL facilities, a center-stage “Monday Night Football” gig, or his pre-draft “QB Camp”, there was no shortage of NFL avenues that he utilized to stockpile money and opportunity.