Monday, 11 October marked the end of Jon Gruden’s era as the “Las Vegas Raiders” head coach when he resigned following backlash from his controversial statements in leaked emails.
As reported by PEOPLE, the NFL coach broke the news of his resignation to the public due to resurfaced emails in which he reportedly made use of homophobic and racially offensive language.
The 58-year-old wrote that he loves the Raiders and does not want to be a distraction to the team. Gruden thanked all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation, saying he was sorry and never meant to hurt anyone.
Over the past 7 years, the coach had sent many emails that casually and frequently referred to NFL officials and players with homophobic language, according to The New York Times.
In an email, Gruden referred to the league’s commissioner Roger Goodell as a “clueless anti-football p****.”
The 58-year-old then insisted that Goodell should not have pressured former Rams coach Jeff Fisher to draft “queers,” according to the Newspaper.
Another leaked email revealed that Gruden suggested Eric Reid be fired for his demonstration during the national anthem.
The former “Oakland Raiders” coach also sent a racially charged email to smear a Black union official, The Wall Street Journal revealed.
Gruden apologized for the email during an interview with the paper, explaining that he was upset about a lockout between the NFL and the player’s union.
This restriction threatened the new season and the coach was not confident in the direction the players were headed to with DeMaurice Smith.
Jon Gruden resigns as head coach of the Raiders. pic.twitter.com/Npnoqd8YQD
— NFL (@NFL) October 12, 2021
WSJ reported that Gruden claimed he mentioned the phrase “rubber lips” in reference to people who were thought to be lying.
A spokesperson for the league told PEOPLE on Friday that, “The email from Jon Gruden denigrating DeMaurice Smith is appalling, abhorrent and wholly contrary to the NFL’s values.”
The rep added that they condemn the statement and regret any harm its release may inflict on Smith and other parties.
“Raiders” owner Mark Davis also came forward with a statement on Friday saying Gruden’s remarks are against what the “Raiders” stand for.
In November 2019, The Blast reported that before his resignation, Gruden was one of the highest-paid coaches in the NFL after leaving a comfortable job as an ESPN commentator.
The star coach was reportedly lured with a 10-year contract worth $100 million. It is unknown if Gruden can ever have a career in the NFL due to his heavy backlash.
