Jon Gruden Is On Antonio Brown's Side, For Now

[hawaiiansteeler]

Jon Gruden Is On Antonio Brown's Side, For Now

Gabe Fernandez

The last time that Raiders coach Jon Gruden had to deal with controversy surrounding a star player on his team, he shipped Khalil Mack off to the Bears and spent most of the next season defending the trade during a 4-12 season. This year, he’s taking a bit of a more level-headed approach, despite the controversy being a lot stranger.

Gruden was asked on Friday about star wideout Antonio Brown threatening to quit football because he’s not allowed to wear the helmet he wants out on the field. Rather than deliver an expected backhanded compliment, or outright snide remark, the Oakland-for-now coach offered nothing but support from the podium, according to ESPN.

to read rest of article:

https://deadspin.com/jon-gruden-is-o...now-1837146318

[hawaiiansteeler]

Antonio Brown’s Helmet Drama Is Exactly What Jon Gruden and the Raiders Bargained For

By Albert Breer
August 12, 2019

No one, especially not in Oakland or Pittsburgh, should be surprised that the All-Pro wideout is acting weird—it’s been his M.O. for months, and a big contract only reinforced it. Gruden’s standing by his man—for now—and banking that talent sheer talent will make the gamble worth it.

to read rest of article:

https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/08/12/an...on-gruden-mmqb

[86WARD]

He kinda doesn’t have a choice but to stand behind him.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Cris and Nick react to Antonio Brown's helmet dispute & Gruden's support

[Devilsdancefloor]

cris isnt wrong at all. i think the burfict hit knock something loose

[polamalubeast]

[86WARD]

Did you watch episode one of hard knocks and see the way Gruden let Jon Abram talk to him? Talk about a total asshole of a player. Between Abram, Brown, incognito, burfict...that’s pretty much a summation of every player you don’t want on a team.

[polamalubeast]

Managing Antonio Brown is essential to relaunching Jon Gruden's coaching career

When Antonio Brown arrived at training camp in a hot-air balloon, Jon Gruden laughed and tried to cozy up to a new reality.

“I expect a lot more drama from No. 84,” the Oakland Raiders coach said last month of his newly acquired superstar wide receiver. “I really do.”

How prescient. And unsurprising. And ominous.

As eccentric as Brown can be, Gruden couldn’t have predicted the strange types of drama he already has presented. Frostbitten feet? An existential crisis over a new helmet? Brown is every bit the headache that the Steelers traded. And if we can assume the healing of his feet — which Brown colorfully described as “circumcised” and “born again” during the most recent HBO “Hard Knocks” episode — the 31-year-old figures to remain the ultra-productive playmaker who has finished with no fewer than 101 receptions, 1,284 yards and eight touchdowns in his past six seasons.

Gruden, the old coach who traded the best of his new tricks during his disastrous NFL return last season, deserves the headache. He acquired Brown partly because his decisions had left the roster desperate for a player capable of making a superstar impact. Now, he needs a fruitful relationship with the diva receiver to erase the notion that his coaching style and tastes have become too antiquated for the modern NFL.

That was the concern coming into the 2018 season, after Gruden signed a 10-year, $100 million contract and resurrected his coaching career after nine years in television. It’s amazing that Gruden is still just 55, but while his energy and charisma are intact, there was either something off about his team-building feel last season, or his torch-the-roster actions as the coach/unofficial GM in Year 1 were necessary to expedite the improvement of a Raiders team that had talent but no flexible route to sustained success.

A year ago, Gruden and the Raiders traded their best player, outside linebacker Khalil Mack, rather than persist during a complicated contract negotiation. It seemed like a premature deal, shipping Mack to Chicago for two first-round picks. The Bears went on to pay Mack record-setting money for a defensive player, and he made their defense dominant again.
Back in Oakland, Gruden alternated between defending the decision and grumbling about lacking a pass rush. Then in the middle of the 2018 season, he traded another prominent player, receiver Amari Cooper, to Dallas for a first-round draft pick.

read more

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...s/201908140086

[steel striker]

We all know the Chucky is not stable.

[DesertSteel]

They make a cute couple.

[FrancoLambert]

Did you watch episode one of hard knocks and see the way Gruden let Jon Abram talk to him? Talk about a total asshole of a player. Between Abram, Brown, incognito, burfict...that’s pretty much a summation of every player you don’t want on a team.

Fully agree on your take of that young punk Abram.
Couldn’t believe how he challenged and disrespected his head coach.
Saw that and said the Raiders will certainly have trouble with this guy.

[hawaiiansteeler]

I would love to be a fly on the wall and hear what Gruden and Mayock say privately about AB...