Jon Gruden: Raiders coach described head of the NFL Players Association DeMaurice Smith using racially insensitive language in 2011
Gruden, who’s White, was working because the lead analyst for ESPN’s Monday Night time Soccer on the time.
Gruden instructed the Journal that he didn’t keep in mind writing the e-mail, however didn’t dispute having written it.
“I am actually sorry,” Gruden instructed the Journal. “I used to be upset. I used a horrible approach of explaining it.”
Gruden defined to the Journal that he makes use of the phrase “rubber lips” to explain folks he thought had been mendacity.
“I do not assume he is dumb. I do not assume he is a liar,” Gruden backtracked to the Journal. “I haven’t got a racial bone in my physique, and I’ve confirmed that for 58 years.”
CNN has been unable to succeed in Gruden for remark.
DeMaurice Smith referred to as Gruden’s remark “racist” in an announcement to CNN.
“This isn’t the primary racist remark that I’ve heard and it in all probability is not going to be the final,” Smith stated. “It is a thick pores and skin job for somebody with darkish pores and skin, identical to it all the time has been for many individuals who seem like me and work in company America.
“You recognize persons are generally saying issues behind your again which are racist identical to you see folks discuss and write about you utilizing thinly coded and racist language. Racism like this comes from the truth that I am on the identical desk as they’re they usually do not assume somebody who seems to be like me belongs. I am sorry my household has to see one thing like this however I might reasonably they know. I can’t let it outline me.”
Raiders proprietor Mark Davis described the content material of the e-mail as “disturbing” in an announcement Friday.
“We had been first made conscious of the e-mail late yesterday by a reporter and are reviewing it together with different supplies offered to us in the present day by the NFL,” he stated within the assertion. “We’re addressing the matter with Coach Gruden and may have no additional remark right now.”
The NFL was additionally fast to sentence Gruden’s phrases.
“The e-mail from Jon Gruden denigrating DeMaurice Smith is appalling, abhorrent and wholly opposite to the NFL’s values,” an NFL spokesperson instructed CNN. “We condemn the assertion and remorse any hurt that its publication could inflict on Mr. Smith or anybody else.”