Steve Marcus / Associated Press
An NFL general manager accuses Jon Gruden, head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, of ‘blatant tampering’ after an interview Gruden gave to Cris Collinsworth and Richard Sherman, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.
Gruden was a guest on Collinsworth’s podcast, which also features Sherman. Although Collinsworth referred to the toddler rules of the NFL, Gruden could not help but make the three-time All-Pro corner (via Florio) a pitch:
“Yes, I have. I have been fined, I have been punished very, very severely. Richard Sherman, if you are a free agent, which you think is a rumor, we are looking for an alpha presence in our secondary “Someone who can play this Hawk 3-press technique with the reading step. If you’s available and interested, you and I might get together from the air at some point.”
Over the past few months, Gruden has wore it An “Oakland” Raiders hat and struggling to follow the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols regarding face masks on the sidelines. His situational awareness was not yet very good.
Florio noted that it would be difficult for the NFL not to establish that he was violating the toddler rules.
Sherman’s $ 27.2 million three-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers expires. However, until the NFL League year 2021 begins on March 17, Sherman is still officially a member of the 49ers.
Depending on how seriously the NFL takes the matter, Gruden and the Raiders could face a substantial penalty.
The league handed a $ 100,000 fine to the New York Jets in 2015 based on comments Woody Johnson’s owner made about Darrelle Revis. The Kansas City Chiefs lost a third round in 2016 and a sixth player in 2017 after a scramble focused on Jeremy Maclin. Head coach Andy Reid ($ 75,000) and then-general manager John Dorsey ($ 25,000) also received fines.
The Raiders allowed 263.3 passing yards per game, the seventh most in the NFL. Assuming he does not return to San Francisco, Sherman would be a logical free agent to strengthen the secondary.
Gruden, however, needs to exercise more discretion regarding veterans who are on Las Vegas’ radar.