Jon Gruden Resigned From The Raiders…Now What Happens To His Contract?

ByJoey Heldon October 13, 2021inArticles›Sports News

Jon Gruden resigned as coach of the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night. His resignation came after a series of emails he sent between 2011 and 2018 became public. In those emails, Gruden used racist, homophobic, and misogynistic language in describing others, including NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith. The Raiders confirmed his resignation via Twitter .

Gruden re-joined the Raiders in 2018, having previously coached the team from 1998 to 2001. He was brought on to return the team to relevance, led by a rising star in Derek Carr , and to help with the team’s move to Las Vegas.

The Raiders plucked Gruden away from Monday Night Football on ESPN, offering him a huge contract to coach the team. In fact, Gruden received the largest contract in NFL history: a ten-year, $100 million deal.

So, what happens now that Gruden is no longer coach of the Raiders, less than four years into that ten-year deal?

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Ethan Miller/Getty Images

The Athletic’s Tashan Reed originally stated Gruden would forfeit the remaining $60 million left on his contract. However, USA Today reported the team and former coach are working out a package and that the situation was “unresolved.”

It looks like Gruden will receive at least a bit of money as a result of resigning, but it certainly won’t be the $60 million he stood to gain had he finished the entire contract.

In terms of annual salary, Gruden was the third-highest-paid coach in the NFL. Only New England’s Bill Belicheck ($12.5 million) and Seattle’s Pete Carroll ($11 million) will earn more this year.

Though it’s pretty much irrelevant now, Gruden’s deal also included a no-trade clause. During his first go-round with the Raiders, the team traded him to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2001. Gruden signed a five-year, $17.5 million deal with the Bucs, and the Raiders received $8 million in cash, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks in exchange. The following season, the Buccaneers defeated the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII.

This time, Gruden is leaving the Raiders under even more tumultuous circumstances. And there’s not another coaching job waiting for him on the other side.

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The Raiders Owe $50 Million To Five Different Fired Coaches Next Season

ByJoey Heldon January 6, 2026inArticles›Sports News

The Las Vegas Raiders will have the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. However, they’ll be approaching that selection with a new head coach in tow. After finishing the season with a 3-14 record, the Raiders fired head coach Pete Carroll just one year into his contract.

Carroll’s Raiders tenure started off promising enough with a road win over the New England Patriots, who ended up being one of the best teams in the AFC. But the Raiders could never build on that Week 1 victory. The team proceeded to lose 14 of its next 15 games before ending the season with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs—and even that game required a 60-yard field goal from Daniel Carlson in the closing seconds to secure a Raiders victory.

Carroll still had two years remaining on his deal, so the Raiders will owe him a buyout of $16 million next season, even though he’s no longer coaching. That means the Raiders are paying five different coaches a collective $50 million next season, and none of them currently coach the team.

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Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Here’s who else the Raiders owe money to:

Jon Gruden, $10 million

Jon Gruden had spent nearly a decade in the broadcast booth before returning to the sidelines for the Raiders. He had previously coached the team from 1998 to 2001, and his 10-year, $100 million contract in 2018 is one of the largest a coach has ever received. Gruden ultimately resigned on October 11, 2021 after a league investigation into the Washington Football Team (who were later renamed to the Commanders) uncovered several emails Gruden had sent to then Washington general manager Bruce Allen that used racist, misogynistic, and homophobic language. Since he had signed such a long contract, the Raiders are still paying him $10 million annually.

Josh McDaniels, $10 million

Josh McDaniels took over as the Raiders head coach early in 2022, signing a six-year deal. His first season ended with a 6-11 record, with Las Vegas dropping several close games. His second season didn’t start off much better; the Raiders began 3-5. McDaniels was fired on Halloween night in 2023. He joined the Patriots for the 2025 season, his third stint in New England. He’s had solid success as the offensive coordinator, so he’ll be earning money from both the Patriots and Raiders, who will pay McDaniels about $10 million per season until his contract ends.

Antonio Pierce, $8 million

After McDaniels was fired, Antonio Pierce became the interim coach during the 2023 season. He won his first game 30-6 against the New York Giants. Coincidentally, the Giants had the second-worst record this past season. Pierce finished that interim season with a 5-4 record, and the Raiders officially named him the coach in January 2024. He made it less than a year in charge, however, as the Raiders went 4-13 and Pierce was shown the door. Nevertheless, he’ll make $8 million next season.

Chip Kelly, $6 million

Las Vegas fired Chip Kelly in November 2025, just 11 games into the season. He was in the first of a three-year deal worth $18 million. Coordinator contracts are typically guaranteed, so he’ll receive $6 million next season and $6 million in 2027.

Raiders owner Mark Davis is now on the hunt for the next coach of the team. At least he isn’t shy about spending money.

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