Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden signed a massive 10-year contract with the franchise, so the pressure will be on for the team to find success in its new home at Allegiant Stadium.
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While Raiders fans will be hoping Gruden can guide the team to a Super Bowl, no one will be cheering the squad on harder than Gruden's wife, Cindy Gruden. Let's meet the coach's longtime spouse.
Jon Gruden's Wife
Cindy Gruden in the 80's, Jon Gruden's wife. #Gruden4UT2013 pic.twitter.com/oi8kxZU5
— Rob Wilson (@rfg7c) October 24, 2012
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Jon Gruden and his wife Cindy Brooks Gruden have been married for 30 years. The couple met while attending the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where Cindy was a member of the cheerleading squad and Jon was a graduate assistant for the Volunteers football team. They tied the knot in July of 1991.
After college, Cindy took a job with the National Cheerleader Association, teaching college and high school students. She has also been involved with various charities. In April 2020, she helped Jon crash a UT online course during the coronavirus pandemic.
The longtime football coach and Cindy have three children together, sons Michael Gruden, Jayson Gruden and Deuce Gruden. Their oldest son, Deuce, worked as an assistant coach for the Oakland Raiders and has gone viral on social media for his muscular frame. Deuce was also on the strength and conditioning staff on the Washington Redskins when his uncle Jay Gruden was the head coach.
Gruden's wife was a topic of discussion last season after Raiders QB Derek Carr used her name during an audible at the line of scrimmage against the Carolina Panthers, shouting "Cindy Gruden! Tiger Woods!"
After the game, Gruden joked that his quarterback better keep his wife's name out of his mouth, despite the Raiders scoring a touchdown on the drive, courtesy of a one-yard punch-in from running back Josh Jacobs.
Jon Gruden's Coaching Career
From @DickieV Gala tonight in Fla: @RobinRoberts w/ #MNF's Jon Gruden and wife Cindy (📷 via @espnmikes). pic.twitter.com/axh618i556
— bill hofheimer (@bhofheimer_espn) May 13, 2016
Jon Gruden was born in Sandusky, Ohio but grew up in South Bend, Indiana and attended Clay High School. His father Jim Gruden, also a football guy, worked as an assistant at Notre Dame. Jon played college football at the University of Dayton before becoming a graduate assistant at the University of Tennessee.
Following his stint at Tennessee, Gruden joined the coaching staff at Southeast Missouri State where he served as a passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He spent one year there before moving to the University of the Pacific as a tight ends coach.
He then got a stint in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers as an offensive assistant in 1990, and shortly after returned to the college ranks as a wide receivers coach for the Pittsburgh Panthers.
Gruden joined the Green Bay Packers coaching staff as an offensive assistant in 1992 and became the wide receivers coach from 1993-94. He was poached away from the Packers when he was offered a job as an offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Gruden served in that role from 1995-97 until Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis came calling to make him the franchise's head coach.
20 Years Ago: Eagles offensive coordinator Jon Gruden pic.twitter.com/upFk0Epa9B
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 30, 2015
After four successful seasons with the Raiders, including two AFC West titles, Gruden accepted the head coach position for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gruden would lead the team to a Super Bowl victory in his first season as head coach, defeating the Raiders, but failed to replicate that success in any of his subsequent six seasons with the franchise.
In 2008, Gruden was fired by the Buccaneers and accepted a role as an analyst with ESPN, working on the Monday Night Football telecasts. He was out of coaching for 10 years before the Raiders lured him back on the lucrative 10-year contract worth $100 million.
Jon Gruden doesn't "really feel pressure" ahead of fourth season with Raiders: "Mark Davis is going to let me know if it’s good enough or not"https://t.co/ynQQ2ZGn5G pic.twitter.com/q4obybXgvx
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) September 7, 2021
Back in the National Football League, Gruden has yet to produce a season with a winning record during his second Raiders stint, though he's made steady improvements each season culminating in an 8-8 record in 2020.
Jon Gruden's Net Worth
#Raiders MD and Jon Gruden attended the 24th annual Keep Memory Alive "Power of Love Gala" benefit for the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health honoring Neil Diamond at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
March 07, 2020
*with Sandra Taylor and Cindy Gruden pic.twitter.com/nLJd8wEbQ6— AFL Godfather 🏴☠️👓🏈 (@NFLMAVERICK) March 8, 2020
Jon Gruden still has 7 years left on his contract 🙃 pic.twitter.com/2P76IUZiJS
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) September 7, 2021
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Jon Gruden boasts an estimated net worth of $30 million, though that's sure to increase as he is currently earning $10 million per year coaching the Raiders.
He and his wife, Cindy, appear set financially for a long, long time.
