Gruden’s racist comment

Jon Gruden used a racist trope to describe executive director of the NFL Players Association DeMaurice Smith in a 2011 email, the Wall Street Journal reports.

https://www.si.com/nfl/2021/10/08/jon-gruden-used-racial-trope-demaurice-smith-email

“Dumboriss Smith has lips the size of Michelin tires,” Gruden wrote in a July 2, 2011, email to then Washington general manager Bruce Allen, according to the report. Gruden then was a commentator for ESPN.

At the time, the NFL was in negotiations with Smith’s NFLPA to try and end a lockout.

Gruden, now the coach of the Raiders, told the Wall Street Journal that he didn’t recall writing the email but that he’s “really sorry,” saying he was frustrated with Smith and the NFLPA at the time. He added that he used the term “rubber lips” to describe anyone he thought was lying.

“I was upset,” Gruden told the WSJ. “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.”

In-depth analysis, unrivaled access. Get SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’s best stories every weekday. Sign up now.

Smith said in a statement to the Wall Street Journal that he wouldn’t let racism define

Gruden is finished…

For whatever reason, @NYTSports deleted the link to the article, but if you haven’t seen it: https://t.co/6TEK76yfL2

— Ryan Katz (@moshpitmagic) October 12, 2021

• This reply was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by nittany ram.

Not an apology. 😡 https://t.co/jAudlyzCow

— KJ The Rams Fan (4-1) (@KJTheRamsFan) October 12, 2021

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

Jon Gruden’s offensive emails were selectively leaked from a trove of 650,000 emails collected by the NFL as part of its workplace misconduct inquiry of the Washington Football Team.

Where are the rest of the toxic emails, including any that were sent or received by Dan Snyder? pic.twitter.com/qfoGL5gIbn

— Don Van Natta Jr. (@DVNJr) October 12, 2021

Zooey wrote:

wv wrote:

Gruden and McVay are good friends, right.

Sigh.

w
v

Maybe. They know each other, and share a love of football, and like each other, I guess. I’ve never seen any evidence that they play together outside the office. I have “friends” at work whom I never see socially.

But…maybe they are, and maybe McVay shares similar views. In my experience, there are a lot of a-holes in the human species.

the grudens and mcvays go way back. there’s a history there.

it wouldn’t surprise me. who knows really though.

wv wrote:

Sitting here imagining all of the College Coaches, Scouts, Assistant Coaches,
Media People, worrying about old/new emails they have sent.

w
v

Well, there’s 650,000 emails, I heard. So Gruden isn’t the only human who’s going to come off badly.

My question is “Why Gruden?”

Next question is…what did they say about Spygate?

wv wrote:

Gruden and McVay are good friends, right.

Sigh.

w
v

Jim McVay (Sean’s uncle) was one of the people Gruden was emailing.