Has a possible Notre Dame coaching search lost one of its premier candidates before it even started?
Super Bowl-winning coach Jon Gruden has agreed to a multi-year extension with ESPN, the network announced this morning, and the wording of the release suggests the man who attended high school in South Bend won't be returning any time soon.
ESPN said Gruden agreed to "an exclusive multi-year agreement" and "has made a commitment to remain with ESPN."
"Jon is committed to Monday Night Football for multiple years and his decision to sign this extension is a clear indication of that," ESPN Senior Director of Communications Bill Hofheimer said after the announcement. "He will not be seeking any coaching positions for the foreseeable future."
Gruden's comments in the release seemed to echo that.
"Working with Mike (Tirico), Jaws (Ron Jaworski) and our entire Monday Night Football team is the most fun I have had in years, and I am fired up to make this long-term commitment to ESPN," Gruden said in the statement released by ESPN.
Gruden attended Clay High School in South Bend while his father, Jim, worked as an assistant under Dan Devine at Notre Dame. The release contained no information about length of contract with ESPN or any out-clauses for coaching jobs.
Notre Dame athletics director Jack Swarbrick said Sunday that current head coach Charlie Weis would be evaluated after the season ends at Stanford.
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finally espn got it right coach gruden was the missing piece in mondday night football. he is great.