Jay Gruden is an American football coach and former player, known for his work as an offensive coordinator and head coach in the National Football League (NFL). He led the Washington Football Team to the NFC East title in 2015, their first division title since 2012. He is also known for his work as an offensive coordinator, helping to develop successful quarterbacks and innovative offensive schemes during his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Get all of the latest Jay Gruden news and stats here!
He was born on March 4, 1967, in Tiffin, Ohio, and grew up in a football family; his father, Jim Gruden, was a successful high school and college football coach.
Jay played quarterback at the University of Louisville and later in the Arena Football League before turning to coaching. He began his coaching career in 1997 as an offensive assistant with the Arena Football League’s Nashville Kats, where he spent three seasons before moving on to the Orlando Predators.
In 2002, Gruden was hired by the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an offensive assistant. He worked his way up the coaching ranks, serving as the team’s wide receivers coach and then as its offensive coordinator. In 2014, he was named the head coach of the Washington Football Team, where he spent five seasons before being fired in 2019.
Gruden was then hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars as their offensive coordinator in 2020, but was let go after the season due to the team’s poor record. In August 2022, he was hired as an offensive consultant for the Los Angeles Rams.
During his coaching career, Gruden has developed a reputation as an offensive innovator and a quarterback guru, having worked with some of the NFL’s most successful quarterbacks, including Brad Johnson, Jeff Garcia, Andy Dalton, and Kirk Cousins. He is known for his aggressive play-calling and his ability to tailor his offensive schemes to the strengths of his players.
Off the field, Gruden is known for his laid-back personality and sense of humor. He is a family man and has four children with his wife, Sherry. In his free time, he enjoys playing golf and fishing.
