Jon Gruden: 'I have no intentions of coaching'

Jeff Fisher could barely get out the door in Los Angeles before Jon Gruden's name was floated as one of many potential candidates for the Rams' head coaching vacancy.

The fit made at least some sense on the surface, as it was always going to take a high-profile job and a major payday to coax Gruden out of the ESPN broadcast booth.

Much like he's done in response to such rumblings in the past, though, the former Super Bowl champion is again downplaying any interest in a return to the sidelines.

Gruden explained Wednesday in an appearance on ESPN's "Mike and Mike" that, although he loves the game, he remains happy in his current position calling games for Monday Night Football.

"Right now, I have no intentions of coaching," Gruden said. "I really enjoy what I'm doing and I feel like I'm really close to the fire, and I'm getting plenty of satisfaction out of doing what I'm doing."

Gruden throwing cold water on the most recent rumbling was to be expected. Why wouldn't he be thrilled with where he's been for the past eight seasons?

Broadcasting allows Gruden to get his football fix in a similarly high-paying gig, doing so with far less demanding hours and much more job security than a coach could reasonably expect at any level of football, let alone the NFL.

But don't expect the rumors to go away any time soon.

Should he ever truly pursue a return to coaching, he's openly stated that his satisfaction with his current gig will only give him more leverage in negotiations with any club looking to reel in a superstar leader.

Whether that team ends up being the Rams, an organization that now finds itself looking for new direction after setting up shop in the nation's second-largest market, remains to be seen.

Gruden posted a 95-81 record across 11 years as a head coach with the Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1998-2008.