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The Oakland Raiders have already made arguably the biggest splash in the offseason with the hiring of head coach Jon Gruden. Among the coach's notable qualities is that he is known as one of the great motivators in football.
Needless to say, the Raiders personnel can expect much more intensity in the coming 2018 NFL season. Even Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice had a piece of advice for the current players, according to ESPN's Paul Gutierrez:
“He can be your best friend or your worst enemy,” said Rice. “That's going to keep you on your toes. And maybe that was something that the players, they were lacking this year.
“I hope these players are ready because they're going to get Chucky. They're going to get him … Chucky's going to come out.”
Gruden is often referred to as “Chucky” due to his likeness to the killer doll from the movies. Fortunately, Rice gave a more realistic comparison to Hall of Fame head coach Bill Walsh in terms of how they run their system.
“Either you buy in, or you're not going to be a part of it,” said Rice, who compared Gruden to Bill Walsh as a motivator and coach.
Rice had played under Gruden after moving across The Bay to join the Raiders in 2001. That year, the team managed to make it all the way to the AFC Divisional Game before losing on one of the most controversial calls in league history.
That said, Rice has seen firsthand how Gruden's competitive nature can help propel a team to do great things. It is also one of the biggest reasons why his signing has sparked a sudden reversal of fortune in Oakland.
