Jon Gruden has one of the most complex careers in the history of professional football. From winning a Super Bowl to taking a decade out, before returning to the NFL only to find himself kicked out of the league again while caught red-handed in the middle of a wild email scandal.
The Super Bowl-winning head coach has been back in the media with Barstool Sports, with content segments involving the rookie quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft, among other things. Now, he’s officially getting back into professional football, but not in a way many might expect.
Jon Gruden Is Partnering Up With a Brand-New Arena Football League
Gruden’s return to football has taken several years. While he’s been around the game, he’s not been specifically involved since he resigned from the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021.
The former head coach was then consulting with the New Orleans Saints for a brief period in 2023. In November of 2024, he joined Dave Portnoy’s Barstool Sports, appearing in various content with the popular brand.
Now in 2025, Gruden has found his way back to the game, with the league Arena Football One. Former Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Rams head coach Jeff Fisher is the commissioner of the AF1, an indoor arena football league based in Nashville, Tenn.
Fisher originally signed on as a chief advisor for the Nashville Kats, one of the league’s eight teams. After internal issues and leadership drama with AF1’s founding commissioner, Fisher stepped up and eventually took the job full-time.
Despite shaky early days and some teams folding, AF1 is still standing. The league features eight teams, with the Kats among the most notable.
According to the team’s official announcement, Gruden has partnered with the Kats and their ownership group, Fisher Football Ventures LLC, a company owned by Fisher himself.
We are excited to welcome Coach Gruden to the Kats and Arena Football One family!
He brings valuable know-how and insight that will help build the Kats for the future on and off the field!
Welcome Coach Gruden!https://t.co/O9QKCRuk7s
— Nashville Kats (@NashvilleKatsFB)
Gruden will be a partner and consultant, involved in both football and business operations.
“I have been a fan of indoor football for a long time and jumped at the opportunity to be involved with Jeff and the Nashville Kats as part of the ownership group,” Gruden said. “I have so much respect for what Jeff has done over his career and continues to do with the Nashville Kats and as commissioner of AF1. I’m excited to be part of the team.”
The Nashville Kats Are Back in Action
After starting the season 0-2, the Kats have won three straight games to bring themselves back to a winning record.
They beat the Washington Wolfpack 68-20 on April 18 before a tightly contested 41-37 win over the Southwest Kansas Storm on April 27. After a bye week, the Kats will be back in action against the Albany Firebirds on May 11.
