Jon Gruden didn’t waste any time making his feelings known about Rueben Bain Jr.
The former Buccaneers head coach, who won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay in 2002, was back around the team this week ahead of his preseason broadcast assignment. Gruden is set to work the Bucs’ August 22 preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs on WFLA-TV, alongside former Hall of Fame Tampa Bay defensive back Ronde Barber.
Before that, he stopped by the Buccaneers’ facility to speak with local media about the broadcast debut and, naturally, the team itself. Once the conversation turned to Tampa Bay’s first-round pick, Gruden lit up.
“When I was doing the draft at Barstool, I was shocked he got drafted where he did” Gruden stated emphatically. “You know, people are all interested and hung up on arm length, it's stupidity. If you like James Harrison, you like this guy.”
That kind of praise doesn’t come lightly from Gruden, and he kept going, pointing to the traits that make Bain such a compelling fit.
“He's got tremendous effort. That's the one thing that Simeon Rice and Sapp, those guys that played with their hand down did for us” He said.
“They played every week and they played their butt off in this heat. And we got three games, in a row I think, at home to start the season.
You watch this guy, he will stand out how hard he plays in the fourth quarter. He doesn't wear down.
He's relentless. And that's what the Buccaneers, I think, saw the most.”
For Tampa Bay fans, the endorsement is about as direct as it gets. Gruden’s football opinion carries real weight, and he made it clear he believes Bain can be a difference-maker early.
The buzz around the rookie has been building anyway. The Buccaneers took Bain Jr. 15th overall in the NFL Draft, and he’s already turned heads in training camp with a steady stream of splash plays that have kept the veteran offensive linemen honest.
Even with other issues hovering around the team - including Vita Vea’s hold-in and Baker Mayfield’s contract dispute - Bain’s arrival has become one of the most intriguing storylines as the Bucs move toward the 2026 NFL season.
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