“The Chargers are an excellent franchise,” he said. “They’ve always been competitive. For a number of years they were near the top of the division and won it a few times. It would be excellent to be a part of it.”
Gruden just finished his second season heading up the Bengals offense, and for the second year in a row they were an explosive unit. They averaged 332.7 yards per game, with 223.6 coming through the air and 109.1 on the ground.
Most impressive was the individual achievements of the young players, as second-year standouts wide receiver A.J. Green and quarterback Andy Dalton had impressive seasons. Green ranked fourth in the NFL with 11 touchdowns, sixth with 97 receptions and 10th with 1,350 yards. He also had the most plays of 40 yards or more with seven. Meanwhile, Dalton threw for 3,669 yards, 27 touchdowns and had a QB rating of 87.4.
Prior to joining the NFL coaching ranks, Gruden spent time as a head coach in the Arena Football League. His most successful stint came coaching the Orlando Predators for nine seasons (1998-2001,2004-08) as he led the team to two titles, four championship game appearances, and had a 93-61 record. From 2002-2008, he also spent time in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an offensive assistant. In 2011, he became the Bengals offensive coordinator and the team reached the playoffs in each of his first two seasons.
