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Report: Jon Gruden used racially insensitive language in 2011 email to NFLPA president DeMaurice Smith

20200517_134556by:Justin Rudolph•10/08/21
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Chris Unger/Getty Images

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden finds himself in hot water Friday. A story released by the Wall Street Journal describes an email sent by Gruden back in July of 2011 to have contained the use of a racist trope directed at NFL players of association executive director DeMarcus Smith.

“Dumboriss Smith has lips the size of michellin tires,” he wrote, per Andrew Beaton of The Wall Street Journal.

After being notified of this situation, the NFL has released a statement regarding the matter.

 “The email from Jon Gruden denigrating DeMaurice Smith is appalling, abhorrent, and wholly contrary to the NFL’s values. We condemn the statement and regret any harm that its publication may inflict on Mr. Smith or anyone else,” wrote the NFL, according to Tom Pelissero.

Gruden did issue an apology regarding the email in which he expresses that the email was not intended to be racial. But he did admit he believed his email went “too far.” He also released this quote through Beaton, over his remarks in the email.

“I’m really sorry,” Gruden said. “I was upset, I used a horrible way of explaining it. . . . I don’t think he’s dumb, I don’t think he’s a liar, I don’t have a racial bone in my body, and I’ve proven that for 58 years.”

Gruden sent the email during a lockout by the players over the 2011 summer. He sent the email after the NFLPA chose not to vote on a collective bargaining agreement ratified by the league’s owners. At the time of the email, Gruden was a color commentator for ESPN. During that time he was one of the analysts for the network’s Monday Night Football telecast.

The Raiders sent out this statement via Twitter on this ongoing situation.

Currently, Jon Gruden is the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. In 2018 he signed a record 10-year $100 million contract to take over the position from Jack Del Rio. The two-time Raiders coach also has a no-trade clause built into the contract. He was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002, where he won Super Bowl XXXVII over the then Oakland Raiders.