Super Bowl-winning coach Jon Gruden shouts out Noah Fifita

Super Bowl XXVIII championship-winning head coach Jon Gruden posted a picture of himself with Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita to social media on Saturday. Gruden added a caption saying, "really run watching him last season, expect many more great games this year."

Fifita completed 60.5 percent of his attempts for 2,958 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2024. Those numbers were mostly down from 2023, when Fifita completed 72.4 percent of his attempts for 2,869 yards, 25 TDs and six interceptions.

Fifita enters the 2025 season without his favorite receiver since middle school. Tetairoa McMillan, who set the Arizona career program record with 3,423 receiving yards in his three seasons with the Wildcats. Arizona added two transfer WRs who are expected to diversify the 2025 passing game.

Kris Hutson from Washington State received frequent praise throughout the spring and New Mexico transfer Luke Wysong should provide Fifita with two go-to receivers entering 2025. Fifita was 29th nationally, averaging 246.5 passing yards per game in 2024.

Before becoming a head coach, Gruden was an offensive coordinator, tight end and WR coach. After retiring as a head coach, Gruden worked for ESPN as an analyst and hosted a QB camp where he met with signal callers individually that were recorded and aired on the mothership.

Getting praise from a former NFL head coach often regarded as a QB guru highlights the exciting play of Fifita and could foreshadow the season ahead for the Arizona signal caller. Without McMillan, the spotlight will be on Fifita entering the 2025 season.

Fifita was the only Arizona offensive skill position player invited to appear at Big XII media days on July 9 in Frisco, Texas. With McMillan now in the NFL, Fifita becomes the clear leader for Arizona entering the 2025 season as the Wildcats attempt to rebound from a 4-8 2024 season.