Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden received a care package from the Allen High School football program in Texas and publicly acknowledged the gesture on Thursday. The former coach shared the news on X, formerly known as Twitter, expressing gratitude for the gift sent by the Allen Eagles.
In his post, Gruden described the team as a "powerhouse" and praised them as the standard for high school football in the state. He specifically thanked head coach Chris Wiginton and the program for the box. The message was timed to coincide with the start of the 2026 Texas high school football season, which begins for Allen the following night.
The Eagles enter the new campaign with a strong recent history. They finished the previous season with a 14-1 record and were ranked No. 6 in the final 2025 Texas High School Football Massey Rankings. The program has won five University Interscholastic League state championships.
Allen is preparing for a challenging start to the season, facing three consecutive tough opponents. The team opens play against Duncanville on Friday night, followed by matchups against DeSoto and Southlake Carroll. The squad returns several key players, including 2027 prospects James Roberson and Boogie Talib, as well as 2029 recruits quarterback Ty Snell and tight end Jaden Davis.
This exchange follows a similar interaction last year. Riley Dodge, who was then the head coach at Southlake Carroll, sent Gruden a care package after securing his 100th career victory. Dodge later left that position to join TCU as an assistant coach during the off-season.
