Jon Gruden cuts off caller over Sam Darnold, Brad Johnson

Some names you do not drag into an argument with Jon Gruden, and Brad Johnson is near the top of the list.

Jon Gruden

@BarstoolGruden

Don't you EVER come after my man Brad Johnson! Presented by @ChevyTrucks #ad #chevy #silverado

It makes sense that Gruden takes this one personally. Johnson was his quarterback in 2002, his first year in Tampa, and the Bucs won Super Bowl XXXVII that season. You can make fun of Johnson's arm strength or his highlight reel all you want. Gruden is still going to look at the ring. Using him as the punchline in a bad-quarterback comparison was never going to get past the guy who coached him to a title.

The other half of the call was about Sam Darnold, and that's where Gruden cut a caller off again. That's turning into a running bit on this show. He didn't really defend Darnold so much as change the subject: the Seahawks have bigger problems than their quarterback.

Barstool Sports

@barstoolsports

Jon Gruden had to cut this caller off AGAIN The Seahawks have way bigger problems than just Sam Darnold! Presented by @ChevyTrucks #ad #chevy #silverado

The timing explains why callers are lighting up the phone lines over Darnold. Seattle are the defending Super Bowl champs and sit at 4-4 after a 34-17 Monday night loss to the Bears. Darnold has thrown 10 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He played through a cracked rib in that game and hurt his quad late, and now he's out for Sunday's game against the Cardinals. Drew Lock, who has a sore throwing elbow of his own, is in line to start.

Gruden isn't the first to say a repeat was never a sure thing. Back in October, before Seattle's season went sideways, a Week 7 preview on Warren Sharp's show was already floating the idea that the champs could be scrambling for a wild card.

Warren Sharp

@UC5Me5Jw0nSj1qF6ZfibrFMw

“The Seattle Seahawks might be this fringe playoff team, this team that isn't a shoo-in to make it to the Super Bowl again”

0:44

That's basically Gruden's point. When the defending champs are.500 at the halfway mark and their backup quarterback is banged up too, blaming the starter is the lazy take. Whatever the Seahawks' real problems are, Gruden clearly thinks Darnold isn't the one to blame, and he really doesn't think Brad Johnson should be anybody's punchline.

Next up: Lock against Arizona on Sunday, and a Darnold return that Mike Macdonald has left open for Week 10. If Seattle drops another one, expect more callers. Expect Gruden to keep hanging up on them too.