Last update on. From the section American Football
The Raiders started the season with a 3-2 record thanks to Jon Gruden and Derek Carr, their quarterback.
After allegations of sending inappropriate emails, Jon Gruden has resigned from his position as Las Vegas Raiders' Head Coach.
The Wall Street Journal reported that many emails contained racist, homophobic, or misogynistic terms.
Gruden was a commentator during that time, before he joined the Raiders in 2018 on a $100m 10-year deal.
The 58-year old said, "I'm sorry. I never meant to harm anyone," in an external-link statement to confirm his resignation.
"I love Raiders and don't want to be a distraction."
Gruden was a successful coach for the Raiders in Oakland from 1998 to 2001.
He led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' first Super Bowl victory in the following season and, after being fired in early 2009, he took up a job at ESPN.
ESPN stated that the comments were "clearly repugnant under any circumstances."
The New York Times reported Monday that Gruden had sent many emails to the NFL. In these emails, Gruden allegedly used demeaning terms and expressed opposition to women being NFL referees. He also criticized the league's gay players, as well as the protests in which players sat down during the national anthem.
Gruden was accused in two instances of using anti-gay slurs to describe Roger Goodell, the NFL commissioner, and another anti-gay phrase while writing about Michael Sam (the first openly gay player drafted into an NFL team's roster in 2014).
Defensive end Carl Nassib, the Raiders' only openly gay NFL player currently works for them.
This report was published in response to Friday's Wall Street Journal report that Gruden used racial language in an email he sent to DeMaurice Smith, executive director of NFL Players Association.
Smith wrote on Twitter Monday: "The email sent by Jon Gruden and some of its reaction confirms that the fight to end racism, racist tropes, and intolerance does not cease. This isn't about an email, but rather a belief that people who look like me should be treated less.
Gruden was the first NFL coach to resign during the 2021 season. The Raiders announced that Rich Bisaccia, assistant head coach and special team coordinator, will be acting as interim head coach.
