The Kansas City Chiefs are preparing for what’s expected to be another exciting season as the club has its sights set on a historic Super Bowl run. During training camp at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, several players have received plenty of hype over the last few weeks.
But the latest uproar from Chiefs camp had nothing to do with the players, but a certain visitor head coach Andy Reid invited.
Former Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach and long-time friend of Andy’s, Jon Gruden, appeared at St. Joe. The decision to allow the former leader of the team’s long-time arch-rival ruffled plenty of feathers inside the Chiefs’ fan base.
Gruden coached the Raiders from 1998 to 2001 and returned to the Silver and Black for a second stint that lasted through the 2018-2021 campaigns. During his second go with the Raiders, Gruden orchestrated the infamous victory lap around Arrowhead Stadium following a 40-32 win on October 11, 2020.
Another occurrence during Gruden’s that rubbed Chiefs fans the wrong was when the Raiders grouped on the 50-yard line of Arrowhead Stadium the following season.
So it’s no surprise that fans in Kansas City continue to see Gruden as the enemy even if he technically isn’t with the Raiders anymore.
After Monday’s practice, Reid explained why the former Raiders HC was in St. Joe.
“He loves football,” Reid explained. “He and I go way back 30 years, so we’ve known each other for a long time. So it’s good to get him up here. He’s always had good input on things. He’s very smart. He’s a great football coach.”
Reid and Gruden began their NFL coaching careers with the Green Bay Packers in the 90s under head coach Mike Holmgren. In 1998, the two set forth their own paths as head coaches. Gruden went to the Raiders and Reid went to Philadelphia in 1999.
Although they’ve had two different football careers, Reid and Gruden never stopped being friends.
“[I] enjoy having him around,” Reid said. “[He brings] great energy.”
Gruden’s football career came to a halt after several emails that included sexist and homophobic remarks surfaced in 2021.
He served as a consultant for the New Orleans Saints last season and is currently an advisor for the Milano Seamen, an American football club based in Italy that competes in the European Football League.
