Report: ‘Growing sense’ Jon Gruden lands in Tampa Bay

It’s an annual tradition to be swamped by rumors of Jon Gruden’s potential imminent return to coaching, but those stories seem to have a lot more to them this time around.

According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, there is a “growing sense” in NFL circles that, after nine years away from the sidelines, Gruden will leave his job with ESPN to return to coach the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Florio notes that, unusually, neither Gruden nor ESPN have made any move to deny that the Monday Night Football color commentator will be leaving his role, which they usually do when these rumors pop up.

Gruden has issued a number of non-denial denials, and reports have indicated he’s already looking at putting a staff together. It sounds like a Gruden return is a legitimate possibility now.