5 minPolitics
Jon Gruden Endorses Ohio Sen. Jon Husted at Trump Rally
Former Super Bowl-winning coach Jon Gruden appeared at a Trump rally in Ohio, where he endorsed his former University of Dayton teammate, Sen. Jon Husted, and urged early voting.
Former Super Bowl-winning coach Jon Gruden brought a football locker-room intensity to a political rally in Ohio, where he endorsed Sen. Jon Husted and urged the crowd to turn out for early voting.
Gruden, who coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a championship and later led the Raiders in Oakland and Las Vegas, was introduced by Husted at the Saturday night event headlined by President Donald Trump. The two men were teammates on the 1985 University of Dayton football team and have remained close for decades.
Standing alongside Husted and gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Gruden told the crowd he had returned for one reason. «I love you guys. I just came back for one reason and I'm from Ohio. My mom and dad are from Cleveland. I was born in Sandusky and I went to the University of Dayton,» he said. «And I'm damn proud of it, man!»
The endorsement that followed was direct. «Jon Husted is a lot more than my friend,» Gruden said. «He was a great player.» Gruden praised Husted's work ethic, commitment and day-to-day mental toughness, qualities he said defined their time together on the field.
Husted, who has served as an Ohio state representative, Ohio House speaker, state senator, secretary of state, lieutenant governor and, since January 2025, a U.S. senator, was an All-American cornerback and kick returner at Dayton. He was a starter on the Flyers' 1989 NCAA Division III national championship team, which finished 13-0-1, and recorded an interception in the championship-game victory over Union.
Gruden closed his remarks with a call to action, noting that early voting begins Tuesday. «Before you know it, this election is over,» he said. «But what we got to do is we got to do our part. Early voting starts Tuesday. Can we be there or not? Let's be there! And I know you guys got a lot more friends than I do. Get your friends, and get their friends and their friends, and let's get Husted back in action. Let's go!»
The rally also featured a brief disruption when a protester was escorted out while the crowd chanted «Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye.» Trump, watching Gruden work the room, told the audience that the coach had remarked on the intensity of the event. «You know, Jon Gruden is standing here, saying, 'I don't believe this. This is rougher than a football game,'» Trump said. «There's more spirit. I think they have more spirit here than they did today in Ohio State, if you want to know the truth.»
Gruden's appearance marks another instance of a prominent sports figure stepping into a political campaign, lending star power and a personal connection to a Senate race in a state where football carries deep cultural weight. His endorsement of Husted, a former teammate, ties the senator's athletic background to the leadership traits Gruden described.
The event comes as Ohio prepares for early voting, with Husted seeking to retain his Senate seat. Gruden's remarks were brief but energetic, echoing the motivational style he became known for during his coaching career. The crowd responded with applause and cheers, particularly when he invoked his Ohio roots and his pride in his alma mater.
Husted's political career has spanned multiple levels of Ohio government, from the statehouse to the U.S. Senate. His athletic record at Dayton, including the 1989 national title, remains a part of his public biography that Gruden highlighted in his introduction and endorsement.
For Republicans in Ohio, the rally served as a show of force and a push to mobilize voters ahead of the early voting window. Gruden's presence added a sports-world endorsement to the lineup, which included the president and a candidate for governor.
Gruden resigned from the Raiders in 2021 after 53 games with the franchise. Before that, he coached the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title, cementing a reputation for fiery leadership that was on display Saturday night.
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