Jon Gruden’s QB Camp ran for nine seasons on ESPN, becoming a pre-draft staple before vanishing alongside its host in 2018.
Now, it appears to be making a comeback — just not on ESPN.
Gruden, who left the Worldwide Leader long before his scandalous coaching exit, appears to be reviving the concept at Barstool Sports. With the creative freedom that comes with working under Dave Portnoy, it may be too soon to say his latest media venture is “losing its luster.”
For years, Gruden’s QB Camp was a staple of ESPN’s pre-draft coverage. It featured one-on-one film breakdowns and on-field work with top quarterback prospects. It was equal parts educational and theatrical, with Gruden grilling young passers in a way that made for great television.
So great that Awful Announcing’s Ben Koo argued the loss of Gruden’s QB Camp was more significant than his departure from Monday Night Football — a take that holds up even better now with Troy Aikman and Joe Buck firmly in place.
Now, with Barstool, Gruden can revive that dynamic without the corporate filters that came with ESPN.
On Wednesday, Gruden tweeted about filming his first episode of Gruden’s QB Class with Ohio State’s Will Howard. And in the replies, Gruden teased efforts to bring in all of the top quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft class, which could include Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart, Jalen Milroe, Kyle McCord, and Tyler Shough, to name a few.
Gruden, recently reinstated into the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ring of Honor, is seeing something of a media renaissance regarding his public image after getting hired by Barstool following an extended period outside of the spotlight. He spent years in exile after emails containing racist and offensive language surfaced, costing him his job with the Raiders. Now, he’s getting a second act — not in the NFL, but in sports media.
And while it remains to be seen whether Gruden’s QB Class will recapture the magic of its ESPN predecessor, the unfiltered Barstool version could make for an even more entertaining watch — assuming top prospects are willing to sign on.