That was some serious swag.
On Thursday across social media, Christmas came early for former NFL head coach Jon Gruden, who lived in South Bend and is a 1982 graduate of the since-closed Clay High School. His father, Jim, coached running backs at Notre Dame (1978-80), which is the younger Gruden’s only real connection to one of the most storied college football programs in the country.
At one point during one of the myriad searches for a head coach, Gruden was thought to be next at Notre Dame. “It’s Gruden!” Today, the 61-year-old serves as founder of the self-proclaimed “FFCA” ― Fired Football Coaches Assocation.
By the size of the box and the contents inside that arrived at the Tampa-area home office for Gruden, you’d think he was one of Notre Dame’s most loyal sons. A coaching legend like Ara Parseghian and Knute Rockne and … Kevin Kelly.
We’ll get to that later.
First, the box, and how much everything in it might set back someone with a few dollars to spend.
“There’s a lot of stuff in here, man!” Gruden exclaimed. “This has got to be the greatest box ever!”
Irish fans would agree.
Gruden pried open the box and started unloading merch. Lots of it. There were hoodies and quarter-zips, hats and shoes, T-shirts, a pair of shorts and a pair of joggers. There was even a wallet with the logo of the leprechaun on the inside, and a sweet leather-bound notebook. There were zero visors. Gruden was known as a visor guy during his NFL head coaching days.
At least 10 of the items shipped to Gruden are not even available on the Notre Dame website. That merch, arguably some of the best in the box, is likely Notre Dame’s private OFF (Only For Freeman) stock. That stuff would sell out on the open market.
Gruden produced at least 22 items in the video. One estimate, this unofficial one, placed the merchandise value at $1,802.80. That’s a rough/conservative/best guess estimate since it was difficult to pinpoint exact costs of some items. Like the long sleeve Under Armour/Notre Dame hoodie with the leprechaun on the left breast and Under Armour (UA) logo on the right, the first item Gruden displayed. Like the white baseball cap with the gold ND across the front. Also, unavailable to the gen pop.
Like the Notre Dame blue cooler. A similar model, made by Yeti, retails for $375. The cooler may or may not have been the gift box’s most expensive item. Inside that cooler was an authentic Notre Dame game helmet, which retails between $179.99 and $399.99 on the official Notre Dame merchandise site (shop.fightingirish.com).
We took the average of the least expensive ($179.99) and most expensive ($399.99) helmet available at shop.fightingirish.com.
Gruden cracked the cooler, peered inside and likened it to the climactic scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark when the ark was opened for the first time. Except, spoiler alert, Gruden’s face didn’t melt when he produced the helmet.
As he unloaded everything, Gruden unleashed a stream of consciousness history lesson about Notre Dame football. He sang a few bars of the fight song. He reminisced about watching his idol, running back Vagas Feguson, who was coached by his father.
He rattled off a list of Irish legends. So many names were delivered in what became an eight-minute infomercial for Notre Dame football. Unofficially, he mentioned at least 69 people that either played, coached, attended or loved Notre Dame.
It started with Joe Montana. It ended with the late actor George Wendt, who spent two years at Notre Dame and whose name Gruden initially couldn’t remember.
“You remember that guy in Cheers? Norm?” Gruden said of Wendt’s character in the NBC sitcom. “What his name? He went to Notre Dame. I just call him Norm.”
He grouped together the Four Horsemen and the three linebacker Bobs ― Bob Crable, Bob Golic and Bobby Leopold. Same for the Huffman Brothers, Dave and Tim. He rattled off some of the program’s legendary coaches like Rockne and Parseghian. He mentioned Dan Devine and Kevin Kelly.
Sorry, Brian.
He twice mentioned Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet and former Bears nose tackle Chris Zorich, although once he said “Zordich.” He called former Irish running back Kyren Williams “Kieran.” He said how one of the best in the NFL, Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey, once kicked at Notre Dame. Aubrey played soccer for the Irish.
Watching Gruden was exhausting. You needed a nap. Too bad there was no Notre Dame pillow in that swag box.
Maybe next time.
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at tnoie@sbtinfo.com
∎ Following is an unofficial list of what the 22 items cost that Jon Gruden displayed from the gift box sent to him by Notre Dame football. Items are listed as they appeared in the video. The cost of each item is as available on the official Notre Dame website. Items not available carry an asterisk and include an approximate sales value in relation to comparable items.
-Long sleeve UA/ND hoodie (gray): $89.99*
-Under Armour/Notre Dame sneakers: $116.99
-Under Armour long-sleeve hoodie with “Play Like a Champion” on back (navy/gray): $59.99*
-“Irish” trucker’s cap (blue): $29.99*
-ND gold logo baseball cap (white): $34.99*
-Leather football notepad: $99.99*
-“Irish” gold baseball hat (white): $37.99
-“Notre Dame” T-shirt (gray): $29.99 (full shirt not shown)
-“ND” logo slides (gray): $59.99
-“Irish” baseball cap (blue): 27.99*
-Fighting Irish/Leprechaun cooler (blue): $375*
-Authentic Notre Dame football helmet (gold): $289.99
-Under Armour/Notre Dame quarter-zip (blue): $94.99
-Notre Dame Leprechaun wallet: $39.99
-Notre Dame joggers (gray): $44.99
-Under Armour/Irish T-shirt (blue): $30.00
-Under Armour/Notre Dame shorts (gray): $74.99
-Notre Dame long-sleeve quarter-zip (gray): $94.99
-Notre Dame Fighting Irish T-shirt (green): $24.99*
-Long-sleeve Irish hoodie (gray): $44.99*
-Under Armour long sleeve hoodie (gray): $69.99*
-Fighting Irish/Leprechaun T-shirt (blue): $29.99
APPROXIMATE TOTAL: $1,802.80 (unofficial)
*Item not available on shop.fightingirish.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: What was in the box – and how much might it cost – from Notre Dame football to Jon Gruden?
Reporting by Tom Noie, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
