TAMPA, Fla. -- Coach Jon Gruden was rewarded Tuesday for
Tampa Bay's worst-to-first turnaround in the NFC South with a
three-year contract extension that runs through the 2011 season.
Gruden, who had one year left on a contract that was extended
after the Buccaneers won the Super Bowl five seasons ago, earned
about $4.3 million in 2007.
General manager Bruce Allen also was given a three-year
extension, keeping him under contract for another four seasons.
Gruden and Allen were attending Senior Bowl workouts in Mobile,
Ala., and unavailable for comment. Financial terms were not
announced.
The Bucs rebounded from a 4-12 finish in 2006 to go 9-8 and win
the NFC South this season. It was the team's third division title
in six years under Gruden, who is 48-48 in the regular season and
3-2 in the playoffs since moving to Tampa Bay from Oakland in 2002.
Owner Malcolm Glazer and his sons paid a hefty price -- four high
draft picks and $8 million cash -- to pry the coach away from the
Raiders. The move produced immediate dividends with a Super Bowl
title in Gruden's first season, however the Bucs have missed the
playoffs three of five years since then.
The contract extensions are a clear indication that the Glazers
agree with Gruden and Allen that the franchise is back on the right
track.
The Bucs overcame numerous key injuries to escape the NFC South
cellar, and Allen said earlier this month that the club will head
into the upcoming free agency signing period about $23 million
under the salary cap.
Despite losing to the New York Giants in the wild-card round of
the playoffs and dropping four of five games down the stretch
overall, Gruden considers the future bright because of the rapid
development of several young players and the financial flexibility
the team has to pursue offseason additions.
Allen, who also worked with Gruden in Oakland, joined the Bucs
in 2004. He inherited a tight salary-cap situation that made it
difficult to compete for top-tier free agents until last winter,
when the team landed quarterback Jeff Garcia.