Photo: Chris Unger/Getty
Jon Grudenis speaking out for the first time about the homophobic and misogynist language he was accused of using in several emails that quickly upended his NFL coaching career in 2021.
The 59-year-old former head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders said in a recent interview during Arkansas football’s Little Rock Touchdown Club that he was “ashamed” of the emails that came to light via the media during the league’s investigation into the Washington Commanders' alleged toxic culture.
Last October, theWall Street JournalreportedGruden sent an emailusing a racially charged insult to denigrate a Black union official. Not long after that story,The New York Timesreported Gruden sent numerous emails over seven years that “casually and frequently” used homophobic and misogynistic language to disparage people within the league. During that span, Gruden was a broadcaster andMonday Night Footballanalyst for ESPN. Gruden resigned from the Raiders shortly after the emails became public, and quickly thereafterfiled a lawsuitagainst the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell, which is ongoing.
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Showing a flash of contrition in the interview, the former head coach whose career spanned 15 years in the NFL — including one Super Bowl victory with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — quickly declared he was a “good person” and a church-going family man.
“I’ve made some mistakes, but I don’t think anybody in here hasn’t.” Gruden told the room. “I just ask for forgiveness, and hopefully I get another shot.” The audience applauded that line.
He then took a shot at his other former employer, ESPN. “Hell, I worked at ESPN for nine years — worked hard at that job,” Gruden said. “I don’t even want to watch the channel anymore because I don’t believe everything is true. And I know a lot of it is just trying to get people to watch.”
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In May, a judge dismissed the NFL’s attempt to have Gruden’s lawsuit dismissed, the Associated Pressreported.
A rep for the NFL declined comment to PEOPLE concerning Gruden’s recent remarks.
source: people.com
