This year seemed like the playoffs would finally be. The Raiders were 3-0, and Derek Carr was playing MVP level. Then the downward spiral began. Two straight losses and a bombshell report of Jon Gruden using racist, sexist, and homophobic language email surfaced. With the heat coming from the league office, the fallout during Monday Night Football stunned the football world. Gruden has resigned immediately as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. Reports of a questionable email arose the Friday before a 20-9 loss to the Bears. The full details showed a pattern of hateful rhetoric over ten years.
Jon Gruden’s statement on resigning: “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.”
The emails also included harsh language for a handful of team owners involved in the 2011 labor disagreement that led to a lockout at the time. In particular, he had disparaging remarks towards commissioner Roger Godell. The emails steam from the investigation of the then Washington Redskins now the Washington Football Team behavior and team culture. NFL offices were informed of the existence of emails that raised issues beyond the scope of that investigation. The NFL sent pertinent emails to the Raiders for review.
The Raiders organization has been a pillar for diversity and inclusion during its time in the league. Raider Nation welcomes all as long as you can produce, respect the team and the game. Tom Flores will be inducted into the HOF as the first Hispanic quarterback, the first Hispanic head coach in NFL history, and the first to win a Super Bowl. The latter two were in the Silver and Black.
Assistant coach Rich Bisaccia will serve as interim head coach effective immediately, the team announced. Gruden, 58, became the Raiders head coach in 2018, agreeing to a 10-year contract worth a reported $100 million. With him resigning, the Raiders will not have to pay out the remaining $60 million on the deal. The team went 22-31 under Gruden in his second run as coach. Gruden has only made the playoffs twice in his last nine coaching seasons.
