Chiefs head coach Andy Reid glad Jon Gruden is back with Raiders, says he’s ‘good for the game’

Andy Reid and Jon Gruden go way back. The two were on the same staff in Green Bay for three years from 1992 to 1994. The were brought onto Mike Holmgren’s staff from the college ranks. Gruden was just 29 at the time and Reid was 34.

By year two, Gruden was promoted from Offensive Assistant to Wide Receivers coach while Reid was the team’s Tight Ends coach. So, they worked pretty closely.

In 1994 Gruden joined the Eagles’ staff as offensive coordinator. He moved on to become the head coach in Oakland in 1998 and a year later, Reid was hired as the head coach in Philadelphia; a post he held for 14 years. He has been the Chiefs’ head coach the past five years.

Now 24 years since they shared the same coaching room in Green Bay they will take opposite sidelines as rivals in the AFC West.

“I’m glad he’s back,” Reid said of Gruden Wednesday at the scouting combine. “He’s good for the game – very seldom do you find somebody that’s been great at two things. The magnitude of being that, Monday night, and then that being a head football coach in the NFL. Not a lot of people can put that on their resume. I think he’s good for the game. I’m glad he’s coaching, he’s passionate about it. He and I are good friends so we’ve stayed in touch over the years and I’m glad he’s back. He brings great competition. I can’t wait to play the Raiders and him and see what he’s got in store. It’s exciting.”

Both coaches have had long, successful head coaching runs in the NFL. Reid has a career 183-120-1 regular season record (.604), an 11-13 playoff record, with one trip to the Super Bowl but no rings. Gruden has a career 95-81 regular season record (.540), a 5-4 playoff record and one trip to the Super Bowl which he won (over the Raiders).