Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden has resigned from his position after becoming a massive distraction over the last week. As old emails from 2011 were leaked last week, it was revealed that Gruden used a racist trope to denigrate an NFL official, and also called NFL commissioner Roger Goddell a “faggot”. But it doesn’t end there, and the Las Vegas Raiders put out a statement confirming Jon Gruden’s exit as head coach.
Jon Gruden RESIGNS In Shame As Las Vegas Raiders Coach Amidst Racism & Homophobic Controversy!
"I have resigned as Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. I love the Raiders and do not want to be a distraction. Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation. I’m sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone."
Jon Gruden
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) October 12, 2021
“I have resigned as Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. I love the Raiders and do not want to be a distraction. Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation. I’m sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone.”
There you have it, Gruden confirms his exit making it official. According to the New York Times, the controversy is much deeper than it was thought at first. On top of calling Joe Biden a “nervous, clueless pu**y” in 2012, he made fun of executive direction of the NFL Player’s Association Demaurice Smith by saying he has “lips the size of Michelin tires”. Gruden apologized for the remarks after the Raider’s Sunday game, but the writing was already on the wall at that point.
Gruden also exchanged emails containing pictures of cheerleader with Bruce Allen, president of the Washington Football Team (former Redskins), the same person to whom he sent the offensive remarks about Smith’s face, Goddell, and Joe Biden. He actually called Roger Goddell a “faggot” and “clueless anti-football pussy”, and he did so while covering the NFL for ESPN at the time.
He also accused Goddell of pressuring Jeff Fisher of the Los Angeles Rams (St. Louis at the time) into drafting “queers”, a reference to the drafting of Michael Sam. Clearly, Gruden seems to have had it out for everybody. He will be leaving the Raiders in shame and his name will be tainted after such an embarrassing slew of emails. Chances are, this was his last rodeo and he blew it and blew it big.