Jon Gruden is heading back to the broadcast booth. The former Buccaneers coach will call play-by-play Tampa Bay’s August 22 preseason game.
What We Know: Gruden spent seven seasons as Buccaneers head coach, winning the franchise’s first Super Bowl title. He also logged 10 years in ESPN’s Monday Night Football booth. Now, he’ll join Rondé Barber for WFLA-TV’s call of the Buccaneers-Chiefs preseason matchup at Raymond James Stadium. The move comes after regular preseason announcer Chris Myers hit a scheduling conflict.
What They Said: Jon Gruden: “I’m really excited about this Buccaneers team and the upcoming season. It’s going to be a real thrill to be in the stadium again calling the game with one of the greatest Bucs ever! Hope to see you there!”
Rondé Barber: “I’ve been fortunate to spend the last 14 years calling Buccaneers preseason games with Chris Myers. A conflict in his schedule opened the door to do something a little different in our second preseason game. Rather than go with another traditional play-by-play partner, I jumped at the chance to team up with my Super Bowl-winning coach, Jon Gruden. It’s a unique opportunity to share the booth responsibilities with someone who sees the game the way I do and brings incredible passion, insight, and knowledge of the Buccaneers. I’m looking forward to having some fun with my guy, JG, and hope everyone enjoys the broadcast when the Bucs take on the Chiefs on Saturday, August 22.”
What Remains Unclear: It’s not yet known whether this marks a one-time return or a broader broadcasting opportunity for Gruden. Additionally, how duties will split between Gruden and Barber hasn’t been detailed.
What It Means: Jon Gruden gets his wish. Earlier this month, Gruden hinted that he’d love the opportunity for the play-by-play role. Even in a one-off opportunity. This pairing reunites two Buccaneers Ring of Honor members and Super Bowl champions in one booth. Consequently, it marks Gruden’s first game call since leaving MNF in 2017. Furthermore, the matchup itself is a rematch of Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl XL win over Kansas City. As a result, nostalgia and fan interest should run high heading into the season.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.