Jon Gruden is headed back to an NFL broadcast booth, and the assignment comes with a familiar face beside him.
The former Super Bowl-winning coach will call the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ home preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs, the team announced Thursday. Gruden will be paired with Hall of Fame cornerback Ronde Barber, creating a reunion between two franchise figures who helped define one of the Buccaneers’ biggest eras.
The Buccaneers made the pairing public on social media, writing: “Two franchise icons are back together again. Super Bowl-winning head coach & Buccaneers Ring of Honor inductee @BarstoolGruden joins Pro Football Hall of Famer & Buccaneers Ring of Honor inductee @rondebarber in the broadcast booth when we host the Kansas City Chiefs,”
Fans quickly latched onto the news. One wrote, “Fire dem cannons already, we await the moment,” while another said, “Really excited to see these two together again.” A third added, “If the commentary’s as legendary as the duo, I’ll need popcorn and a time machine to keep up.”
For Gruden, the preseason call marks a return to league broadcasting after five years away from the NFL. He has also said he wants to become a play-by-play announcer.
His connection to Tampa Bay runs deep. Gruden took over in 2002 and immediately guided the Buccaneers to their first Super Bowl title, beating the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII.
The team later fired him after the 2008 season. He was added to the Buccaneers’ Ring of Honor, removed in 2021, and returned last year.
Barber’s resume with Tampa Bay is just as decorated. During the Super Bowl season, he earned All-Pro honors and played a major role in the playoff run.
In three postseason games, he had two interceptions, including a pick-six, and broke up 10 passes. He spent all 16 seasons of his NFL career with the Buccaneers and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023.
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