Jon Gruden isn't just watching the UFL playoffs as a casual observer. The former NFL head coach has strong opinions about Sunday's semifinal matchups, and he's not afraid to share them.
Speaking on The UFL Show, Gruden identified the Louisville Kings as his "sleeper team to win it all" ahead of their road matchup against the St. Louis Battlehawks. But he also had pointed advice for the defending champion DC Defenders as they prepare to face Orlando for the third consecutive week.
Gruden's Championship Pick
"I love Louisville. I think Louisville's my sleeper team to win it all," Gruden said. "I think Chandler Rogers is for real."
The Kings enter the playoffs as the hottest team in the UFL, winners of four straight games and averaging 35.5 points per game during that stretch. They're the first team to accomplish that feat since the 2024 Birmingham Stallions, who went on to win the championship.
"They're going to struggle, though, blocking St. Louis, who has the number one defense, number one rushing defense, scoring defense. They have some really badasses to deal with over there."
Fire and Ice Coaching Matchup
Gruden praised both coaching staffs heading into the Kings-Battlehawks showdown, describing it as "fire and ice" between Louisville's Chris Redman and St. Louis's Ricky Proehl.
"Both of these teams have gone under quarterback makeovers, and it's a credit to both of these coaches to change their style of play," Gruden explained. The matchup takes on added significance given St. Louis's dominant defense and passionate fanbase.
"What I love about this game the most is it's in St. Louis and the fans there, they like football more than I do, man. It's going to be a fun game to watch."
DC Quarterback Controversy
For the Orlando-DC trilogy game, Gruden had clear thoughts on the Defenders' quarterback situation. With Jordan Ta'amu still sidelined, DC has rotated between Spencer Sanders and Jason Bean.
"I think they got to go back to Spencer Sanders personally," Gruden said, going against the current coaching staff's direction toward Bean. "They've got to lean on the running game. Their defense has to play better, in my opinion."
Despite his concerns about DC's recent defensive struggles, Gruden still sees Orlando as the superior team in what he expects to be "an ugly kind of game because of the familiarity that these two teams have with one another."
NFL Talent Pipeline
Gruden also highlighted the UFL's role as an NFL feeder system, identifying numerous players ready to make the jump to training camps this summer.
"The quarterback in Orlando's had a hell of a year. There's a lot of receivers," he noted. "If you're an NFL coach, the first thing you want is you want a lot of receivers in training camp because you're going to take 12 to 14 guys and you'd love to get some guys that are accomplished, that are fresh off of a professional season."
"There's going to be 25 to 30 guys right away that jump right into the NFL."
The UFL semifinals kick off Sunday with DC visiting Orlando at 3 p.m., followed by Louisville at St. Louis at 6 p.m. Both winners advance to the United Bowl at Audi Field on June 13.