Story at a glance
- Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has resigned after a series of reports revealed the former analyst sent a series of offensive messages dating back to 2011.
- A report from The Wall Street Journal revealed Gruden used racist language when referring to NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith.
- A separate New York Times report uncovered a series of homophobic and misogynistic references pertaining to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the drafting of the league’s first openly gay player in 2014 and the emergence of female referees.
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has resigned after a series of reports revealed the former analyst sent a series of offensive messages dating back to 2011.
“I have resigned as Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. I love the Raiders and do not want to be a distraction,” Gruden said in a statement released by the team. “Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation. I’m sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone.”
The Raiders announced that assistant coach Rich Bisaccia will take over as interim head coach.
A report from The Wall Street Journal revealed Gruden used racist language when referring to NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith, reportedly writing “Dumboriss Smith has lips the size of michellin [sic] tires.”
“I can’t remember a lot of the things that transpired 10 or 12 years ago, but I stand here in front of everybody apologizing,” Gruden said after the first report emerged. “I don’t have an ounce of racism in me.”
“The email from Jon Gruden – and some of the reaction to it – confirms that the fight against racism, racist tropes and intolerance is not over,” DeMaurice Smith Tweeted on Sunday. “This is not about an email as much as it is about a pervasive belief by some that people who look like me can be treated as less.”
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A New York Times report uncovered a series of homophobic and misogynistic references pertaining to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the drafting of the league’s first openly gay player in 2014 and the emergence of female referees.
Gruden reportedly sent some of the emails to former Washington Football Team President Bruce Allen where he used a homophobic slur to identify Goodell and accused the commissioner of pressuring the Los Angeles Rams into drafting Michael Sam, who is openly gay, in 2014.
The Times report additionally states that Gruden had said Eric Reid, one of the first players to kneel during the national anthem alongside former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, should be fired.
The league reportedly sent a summary of findings in the emails to the Raiders last week.
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