Raiders hire NFL Scouting Combine prep guru Tom Shaw as strength coach

As Jon Gruden continues to build his coaching staff, his latest hire fits right in with the cadre of football minds with whom Gruden has had extensive experience. He has hired long time draft prep training specialist, Tom Shaw as the team’s strength coach.

“Tom Shaw, our strength coach, is very established in this business and he’s going to change the way we’ve done things here and hopefully our players respond to it,” Gruden told the Mercury News Wednesday.

Shaw emphasizes improving players’ speed. His first NFL job came with the Saints in the early 2000’s and then moved on to be the Speed and Conditioning coach for the Patriots, during which time they won three Super Bowls. He boasts having trained 10 of the last 14 Super Bowl MVP’s. Among those who have trained with him are Khalil Mack.

Shaw’s training facility is at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando Florida where he and Gruden often partnered up for Gruden’s QB camp, which also dealt in prepping NFL draft prospects. In an announcement on Tom Shaw’s site, he detailed the work he and Gruden were doing together.

We have partnered with Coach Gruden to assist in the production of his Gruden QB Camp, as well as incorporate his immense experience into our training. This relationship gives our athletes the unique opportunity to work first-hand with another Super Bowl-winning coach, whose knowledge of the game is unrivaled. With four Super Bowl rings between Coach Gruden and Coach Shaw, our athletes can’t ask for a more success-breeding environment. Our partnership with Gruden’s QB Camp gives our athletes the opportunity to showcase their abilities on a global scale, as well as work hand-in-hand with world class quarterbacks from around the country. This is an opportunity that can only be found at Tom Shaw Performance.

Now with Gruden back in the NFL, he is bringing Shaw along with him.

Gruden’s son Deuce said at his father’s introductory press conference that he would be joining the strength staff as well. Though there has been no official word on that hire yet.