Jon Gruden was justifiably mocked when he said he’s “trying to throw the game back to 1998,” but the reality is a lot of coaches around the league feel the same way.

For example, here are some of the top coaches in the league discussing the possibility of getting access to all-22 video on the sideline during games. That may not sound like a radical change to most people in 2018, but NFL coaches are pushing back hard against it…

Via ESPN.com:

“If I’m looking at the video, I’ll never be wrong,” Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “I’m against it because I think it takes some of your true coaching skills away and it makes it even for everybody, for good coaches and bad coaches… “It takes coaching and all of the things out of this when you go and sit there and watch it. Anyone can do that. I can bring in there and say, ‘The left guard is pulling, and they’re blocking down in a combination down on the linebacker.’ Anyone can figure that out . But that’s what we’re supposed to do as coaches.”

Zimmer’s point makes some sense. It takes a special skill to represent a pattern from the sideline in the heat of a game. But good and bad coaches are separated by more than just the ability to recognize something from a less-than-ideal point of view. Simply knowing something is happening isn’t enough. Coming up with the proper counter will still be of the utmost importance on Sundays, so good coaches will still have an edge.

Giving coaches video would necessitate more adjustments and make the games more interesting from a strategic standpoint. How is that bad again?

“If this makes coaches and players not use their ability to communicate off of pictures,” said. “I’m not for it.”

In the words of Josh Rosen … why?

Why is the “ability to communicate off of pictures” so sacred? There isn’t a rational answer to that question, which is probably why McCarthy didn’t offer one. The only acceptable answer is “Because this is the way we’ve always done it.”

At least that’s why Sean McVay, the youngest coach in the league, seems to be against video on the sideline…

“I think we’re all a product of the experiences and the environments we have. So all you really know is the pictures and kind of being able to take that snapshot. “I think just personally, the way that we’ve operated, I would love to be able to continue to do that.”

Even the Millennial coaches are stuck in the ways of the past. Gruden’s plan to throw things back to ’98 might be a lot easier than he thought.