The two former NFL head coaches have been announced as the head coaches for the 2026 Hula Bowl, the annual college football all-star game that first debuted in the 1940s in Hawaii.
Hula Bowl Owner Nick Logan announced the Gruden duo this week.
“I’m sitting right now between two legends of the game: Jay Gruden and Jon Gruden. I am so thankful that have made a decision to coach the 2026 Hula Bowl,” Logan said. “We are still here in Florida. Our game will be played jan 10, we have a noon kickoff at Spec Martin Stadium.”
The stadium is home to Stetson University, in DeLand, Florida; the university also is serving as host site of the upcoming Hula Bowl, which will be the
Jon Gruden, who’s expected to be both a collegiate and NFL head coaching candidate in the ongoing cycle, particularly as he continues to wage a legal battle against the NFL, emphasized he embraced this return to coaching — even in an all-star, one-game format.
“I’m excited to be coaching again. Very thankful for this opportunity,” said Jon Gruden, who won a Super Bowl atop the Tampa Bay Bucs and had head-coaching stints atop the Bucs as well as the Raiders franchise two different times. “I take it very serious. I’ve had a chance to coach the Senior Bowl in the past. This Hula Bowl Classic is awesome.
“We want to service the players, try to help these guys get better and get prepared for the challenges that lie ahead and have some fun, too, in the process. And to have a chance to go up against my brother Jay.”
Added Jay Gruden, the longtime NFL offensive coordinator and former head coach for the NFL’s Washington franchise, “All of those years of him beating me up as a kid, I get to finally get him back. But this is about the players, man. We’re going to do the best we can to put them in the right situation to showcase their skills and their ability, both as players and as people. I’m looking forward to it, looking forward to coaching again and, more importantly, looking forward to getting after his ass.”
Logan teased additional high-profile coaching announcements for the all-star game in the coming weeks.”We will be making announcements about our coaches. These two gentlemen have put together a fine coaching staff and the idea is to really breathe into these players,” he said. “Give them a chance and an opportunity to be coached up and to have the right coaching and the right plays. I’m looking forward to seeing what these gentlemen come up with and it’s going to be a great week back in Florida.”
🔥 Exciting Announcement!
We’re thrilled to welcome Jon and Jay Gruden as our 2026 Hula Bowl All-Star Game coaches!
🏈 All-Star Week kicks off January 5th
🎯 Game Day: January 10th at Spec Martin Stadium
📺 Watch it LIVE on CBS Sports
More info 👉 https://t.co/cWdTQWLgFk… pic.twitter.com/tPcsPts8da— Hula Bowl (@Hula_Bowl) October 14, 2025
