The Oakland Raiders are planning a news conference Tuesday to announce that Jon Gruden is leaving the broadcast booth to return to Oakland for a second stint as head coach, a person with knowledge of the team's plans said.
ESPN reported that Gruden will receive a 10-year deal that could be worth close to $100 million. Gruden has already started putting together a staff, with Cincinnati defensive coordinator Paul Guenther among those expected to join.
Gruden told ESPN this week that he had a good talk with owner Mark Davis about returning to the organization and believed there was a "good chance" it would happen.
Gruden spent four seasons as coach in Oakland, 1998 through 2001. The Raiders fired Jack Del Rio following a disappointing 6-10 season and talk immediately turned to Gruden, who has been out of coaching since being fired by Tampa Bay following the 2008 season. Gruden has spent the past nine years as the lead analyst for ESPN's "Monday Night Football" telecast. He is scheduled to work his final game Saturday in Kansas City when the Chiefs take on the Tennessee Titans.
Patriots deny rift
The New England Patriots say an ESPN report suggesting a rift involving owner Robert Kraft, coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady is "flat-out inaccurate."
The story highlighted purported disputes concerning Brady's personal body coach, Alex Guerrero. Also mentioned is a supposed difference between Kraft and Belichick over the decision to trade backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. The story implied Brady has taken issue with a lack of praise from Belichick this season.
Etc.
• The Chicago Bears interviewed offensive coordinators Pat Shurmur of the Vikings and Josh McDaniels of New England for the head coaching vacancy created by John Fox's firing. The Giants interviewed Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia for their vacant head coaching job.
• Miami receiver Jarvis Landry was fined more than $48,000 and running back Kenyan Drake was fined more than $12,000 for their roles in a late-game fight and ensuing ejections during a loss to Buffalo in the season finale.
