The Oakland Raiders had much of the NFL world perplexed when they decided to trade all-pro linebacker Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears after failing to come to a contract agreement.
Mack, who was easily the Raiders’ best player, went on to sign a record contract extension with the Bears. NFL fans and analysts everywhere ripped the blockbuster move that brought two first-round picks back to Oakland. Really, few knew what Gruden was doing at the time.
That included his former Monday Night Football partner with ESPN, announcer Sean McDonough. The ESPN play-by-play man said in an interview with SportsCenter, via ProFootballTalk:
“I’m anxious to hear this one, Jon Gruden and Khalil Mack talking about the trade. 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 replaced Mike Tirico on Monday Night Football duties in 2016. McDonough returned to college football this season after lamenting his MNF experience as not fun.
Gruden would tell reporters that the Raiders weren’t able to come close to the Bears’ offer and that he didn’t foresee Mack reporting to the Raiders without a new contract.
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