Jon Gruden’s return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers broadcast booth produced plenty of nostalgia Saturday night. However, former ESPN personality Bomani Jones was not interested in joining the reunion tour.
Gruden handled play-by-play alongside former Buccaneers cornerback Rondé Barber for Tampa Bay’s preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The appearance marked his first game in a broadcast booth since leaving ESPN after the 2017 season, but Jones questioned why Gruden’s controversial exit from the NFL seems to be fading from the conversation.
Bomani Jones Questions Jon Gruden’s Return
“Except ppl (people) seem to just wanna let it go?” Jones wrote in an X post. “I mean, I’m not but…”
Jones’ reaction came as other viewers celebrated hearing Gruden call a football game again. A separate PFN fan reaction piece documented viewers calling his return “awesome” and saying hearing him in the booth “just feels right.”
speaking of people who won’t the accountability for their actions…
except ppl seem to just wanna let it go? i mean, i’m not but… https://t.co/WMVXOaLtS0
— bomani (@bomani_jones) August 23, 2026
The Buccaneers announced Gruden’s one-game assignment in July after their usual preseason play-by-play broadcaster, Chris Myers, became unavailable because of a scheduling conflict. Barber said he jumped at the opportunity to work with his former coach, while Tampa Bay chief operating officer Brian Ford called Gruden a “natural fit.”
Gruden also has deep ties to the franchise. He coached Tampa Bay from 2002 through 2008 and led the Buccaneers to their first Super Bowl championship in his debut season.
Jones’ objection centers on what happened afterward.
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Gruden Continues Return to Buccaneers Spotlight
Gruden resigned as Las Vegas Raiders head coach in October 2021 after reports revealed emails containing racist, misogynistic, and homophobic language. The messages were uncovered as part of the NFL’s investigation into workplace misconduct involving the Washington franchise.
Tampa Bay responded at the time by removing Gruden from its Ring of Honor, saying his conduct went against the organization’s “core values.”
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That punishment did not last permanently. The Buccaneers reinstated Gruden in February 2025, saying that “upon further reflection” they had decided to restore his place because of his significance to franchise history.
His visibility around the organization has continued to increase. Gruden appeared at the Buccaneers’ training camp earlier this month before Saturday’s official local television assignment with WFLA.
Gruden has also maintained that the NFL improperly leaked his emails to force him out. His lawsuit against the league remains active and is currently scheduled for a 2027 trial.
For many Tampa Bay fans, Saturday was a chance to hear a Super Bowl-winning coach back behind a microphone. Jones saw something else: another indication that the consequences surrounding Gruden’s 2021 exit are becoming easier for the football world to leave behind.
