Shortly after announcing he was stepping down as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, Jon Gruden released an official statement.
Gruden’s decision to resign stemmed from the ongoing scandal involving past emails of his that were uncovered during the NFL’s investigation into alleged misconduct within the Washington Football Team organization.
In addition to sending an email using a racist stereotype to describe NFLPA director DeMaurice Smith, Gruden also reportedly used homophobic and misogynistic language in messages sent over the period of several years, per the New York Times.
Within an hour of that NYT report being published tonight, Gruden had tendered his resignation.
“I have resigned as Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. I love the Raiders and do not want to be a distraction,” Gruden said in his statement. “Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation. I’m sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone.”
Jon Gruden statement: “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.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 12, 2021
The Gruden era 2.0 with the Raiders ends after three-plus seasons. The 58-year-old head coach was in the middle of a 10-year, $100 million pact he signed back in 2018.
Overall, Gruden posted a 22-31 record this time around with Las Vegas, including a 3-2 mark this season.
Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia has been designated as the Raiders’ interim head coach in Gruden’s place.
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