Four years after his removal from the Ring of Honor, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reinstated Jon Gruden as one of the franchise’s recognized all-time greats. The decision was announced on Thursday.

“Jon Gruden was initially inducted into the Bucs Ring of Honor based on his many accomplishments during his seven seasons as our head coach, and he remains a significant figure in the history of our franchise,” the Buccaneers stated. “Upon further reflection, we have decided to reinstate him into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor.”

Gruden’s induction initially occurred in 2017, following his seven-year tenure with the team. However, he was removed from the Ring of Honor in 2021 amid controversy surrounding his resignation as coach of the Las Vegas Raiders due to offensive emails he sent years earlier.

At that time, the Buccaneers cited his actions as conflicting with the organization’s core values.

Gruden, respected during his coaching stint from 2002-2008, reconciled with team ownership this summer at the funeral of former defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. Reflecting on his reinstatement, Gruden expressed gratitude, stating, “Some of my best memories in life were at Raymond James Stadium with the Bucs, and it’s a great feeling and a great honor [to be reinstated].”