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Jon Gruden is the NFL's most terrifying pass-rush force

August 26, 2019
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When the Raiders were announced as this year's Hard Knocks team, we expected fireworks, and so far the silver and black have delivered. Antonio Brown popsicled his feet and refused to wear a helmet while Jon Gruden has been in vintage form. But this year, the ol' ball coach has expanded his oeuvre from wise-cracking soul-eater to actual on-field menace, as evidenced by this latest clip of him terrorizing his own quarterbacks in the backfield, chasing them around while shouting things like "JAILBREAK" and "ORANGE HAHA!"

Now we know why Gruden was so comfortable getting rid of Khalil Mack last summer. He knew he had a secret pass-rush weapon: Himself. And before you laugh, just imagine the man nicknamed after a homicidal doll sprinting at you as has fast as his little legs will allow while shouting "BOO YA!" at the top of his lungs. You won't sleep for a week let alone get to your third read, especially if your name is Nathan Peterman, who is already carrying around more psychological baggage than Andrew Luck. (Too soon?)

Perhaps the most impressive part of all this, though, is Gruden admitting to Derek Carr after the drill that he was doing his best Howie Long impression on a less-than-100% hammy. Not too shabby for a 56-year-old who has spent the last half decade gorging on ESPN cafeteria meatloaf...