Sean McDonough has spent plenty of time in the broadcast booth with former Monday Night Football partner Jon Gruden. He knows the now-Oakland Raiders coach well, so it came as a surprise when McDonough got candid about the Khalil Mack deal.
He admitted “I don’t know what my man the Gru-dog is doing,” during an ESPN promo about Mack getting traded to the Chicago Bears by Gruden in exchange for draft picks.
“I’m anxious to hear this one, Jon Gruden and Khalil Mack talking about the trade,” McDonough said. “Khalil Mack traded by Oakland, by our man the Gru-dog, to the Chicago Bears. The Bears got a great player. I don’t know what my man the Gru-dog is doing. He got some draft picks, but that’s one of the best defensive players in the league. He could’ve been a Gruden Grinder. Now he’s a Chicago Bear.”
McDonough, like most football fans, doesn’t understand the trade. Gruden gave up one of the best (if not the best) defensive player in the NFL for future assets. If the Raiders were rebuilding the deal would make more sense. However, Oakland brought in Gruden to be immediately competitive. Dealing Mack goes against winning.
Gruden’s traded Mack and assembled the oldest team in the NFL. From both McDonough’s and a football outsiders perspective, it’s hard to understand. Kudos to McDonough for not being afraid to be upfront about it.
