Yesterday, it was Scottie Montgomery making it to the next level with the Carolina Panthers. Today, it’s Jay Gruden.
The team’s search for a new offensive coordinator seems to be focusing in, as Gruden will be getting his second interview for the position on Thursday. According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, it’ll be an in-person meeting between the Panthers and the former Washington Football Team head coach.
The #Panthers are interviewing former Washington HC Jay Gruden for their vacant OC job today, sources say. This is in-person, his second time interviewing with coach Matt Rhule. Gruden has been OC with the #Bengals and most recently with the #Jaguars.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 20, 2022
Gruden, most recently, served as the play-caller for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020. The unit ranked 28th in total yards per game and 30th in points per game en route to an NFL-worst 1-15 record.
Prior to his six-year run heading Washington, Gruden also called plays for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2011 to 2013. The Tiffin, Ohio native, in that final campaign, helped guide the Bengals offense to 368.2 yards an outing (10th) with 26.9 points per game (sixth).
Gruden and Montgomery are now the only two known candidates to have received a second interview from the Panthers in this ongoing search. That prior NFL play-calling experience, however, may give the former somewhat of a leg up on the latter.
