Reports that the Raiders were in talks with Jon Gruden about returning as coach began circulating on the Internet on Tuesday – the same day coach Dennis Allen's father died.
Raiders director of media relations Zak Gilbert responded Wednesday via email to the reports that appeared to have been started by Pro Football Weekly's Hub Arkush.
"There are two people on this planet that have the ability to make talks happen between Jon Gruden and the Raiders with regard to him allegedly taking over the football operations, and/or the position of head coach," Gilbert wrote. "Each of those individuals, owner Mark Davis and general manager Reggie McKenzie, wanted me to communicate that this rumor has no validity whatsoever.
"And for the record, I'm personally disgusted that Hub Arkush would spread such an untruth on the day our head coach, Dennis Allen, had to determine with his mom, his brother and sister, whether to take his dad off life support or wait and hope that he would regain consciousness. Dennis didn't have an opportunity to say goodbye to his dad, but he did have an opportunity to take a phone call regarding Hub's story."
– Bee Sports staff
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