Jon Gruden resigns as Raiders coach amid fallout over racist, homophobic emails


Las Vegas Raiders Coach Jon Gruden resigned on Monday night, days after emails he sent containing racist, misogynistic, and homophobic comments came to light.
In a statement, Gruden said he loves the Raiders and doesn't want to be "a distraction," adding: "Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation. I'm sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone." Gruden was hired by the Raiders in 2018, signing a 10-year, $100 million contract. It has not been announced who will step in and serve as interim coach.
On Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported that in a 2011 email to former Washington Football Team executive Bruce Allen, Gruden used a racist trope to describe NFL union chief DeMaurice Smith. The New York Times went on to reveal that in other emails, Gruden used homophobic and misogynistic terms when talking about NFL officials, including Commissioner Roger Goodell, and decried efforts to draft a gay player. At the time, Gruden was an analyst for ESPN.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The emails were discovered during a workplace misconduct investigation into the Washington Football Team, and an NFL official told The Associated Press they were sent to the Raiders last week. On Friday, Raiders owner Mark Davis said the email about Smith was "disturbing and not what the Raiders stand for," and the messages were under review.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Japan's surname conundrum
Under the Radar Law requiring couples to share one surname hinders women in the workplace and lowers birth rate, campaigners claim
-
How successful would Elon Musk's third party be?
Today's Big Question Musk has vowed to start a third party after falling out with Trump
-
Music reviews: Bruce Springsteen and Benson Boone
Feature "Tracks II: The Lost Albums" and "American Heart"
-
Thunder beat Pacers to clinch NBA Finals
Speed Read Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals
-
MLB lifts ban on Pete Rose, other dead players
speed read 16 deceased players banned for gambling and other scandals can now be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
-
Canada beats US in charged 4 Nations hockey final
Speed Read 'You can't take our country — and you can't take our game,' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted after the game
-
Eagles trounce Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX
speed read The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22
-
Indian teen is youngest world chess champion
Speed Read Gukesh Dommaraju, 18, unseated China's Ding Liren
-
Europe roiled by attacks on Israeli soccer fans
Speed Read Israeli fans supporting the Maccabi Tel Aviv team clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters in 'antisemitic attacks,' Dutch authorities said
-
New York wins WNBA title, nearly nabs World Series
Speed Read The Yankees with face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the upcoming Fall Classic
-
Caitlin Clark the No. 1 pick in bullish WNBA Draft
Speed Read As expected, she went to the Indiana Fever