Jon Gruden isn’t really in talks with the Oakland Raiders, is he?

So Jon Gruden is supposedly in talks to become the next head coach for a down-on-its-luck football team?

Haven’t we heard this story before? Many, many times?

Since he left coaching and went into broadcasting in 2009, Gruden has been the subject of such rumors concerning teams with coaching vacancies or teams whose fans want them to have coaching vacancies.

But the latest one out there is pretty interesting. CBSChicago.com senior columnist and WSCR radio host Dan Bernstein tweeted Tuesday that Hub Arkush of Pro Football Weekly had mentioned on air that Gruden, currently an analyst for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football,” is in talks with the Oakland Raiders to return as their head coach.

That’s the same Oakland Raiders that allowed Gruden to go to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (and were highly compensated for the move) after leading the team to a 40-28 record and an AFC championship appearance in four seasons.

Well, not exactly the same Raiders. Late owner Al Davis is no longer in charge. His son, Mark Daivs, is, and he is said to be unhappy with the direction of the 3-9 team under first-year Coach Dennis Allen.

No comment from Gruden on the Raiders rumors so far, but here’s what he had to say last week in shooting down reports that he was considering an offer to coach at the University of Tennessee:

“I like what I’m doing. I’m just trying to hang on to the job I have, to be honest with you.”

See, he’s being honest with us. He said so himself. So why do we still have so much trouble believing him?

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