Jon Gruden is no longer the Las Vegas Raiders coach. The decision was made on Monday after Gruden met with Raiders owner Mark Davis.
Gruden released a short statement Monday night: “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.”
Gruden’s departure comes after The New York Timesuncovered numerous emails that spanned a seven-year period that ended in 2018. In the emails, Gruden used misogynistic and homophobic language, among other things. That report came three days after Gruden apologized after The Wall Street Journal released details from a 2011 email from Gruden to then-Washington Football Team president Bruce Allen. In the email, Gruden said NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith had “lips the size of a michellin tires.” The email was discovered during the league’s investigation of Washington’s workplace misconduct.
The 58-year-old Gruden was four years into the most lucrative coaching contract in NFL history. On Jan. 18, 2018, Gruden signed a 10-year, $100 million contract that included a no-trade clause, which eliminated the possibility of Gruden being traded for a second time. His first stint with the Raiders ended after he was traded to the Buccaneers for two first-round picks, two second-round picks and $8 million in cash. A year later, Gruden led the Buccaneers to a 48-21 win over the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII.
“If I can’t get it done, I’m not going to take their money,” Gruden told USA Today’s Jarrett Bell in the summer of 2018. “Who guarantees I’m going to live 10 years? So I don’t think about that. You start thinking about a 10-year contract – people don’t know how it’s structured and it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is, ‘Is Khalil Mack going to be here? Is Donald Penn going to be ready to play?’ I’ve got more important things to worry about than eight years of my contract.”
Gruden went 22-31 during his second stint with the Raiders. He went 60-57 in seven-plus seasons as the Raiders’ coach. The Raiders made two playoff appearances (2000 and 2001) under Gruden’s watch. His second run as the Raiders coach included no playoff appearances and several controversies that included the trade of linebacker Khalil Mack and the bazaar Antonio Brown saga of 2019.
Adding in his 57-55 record with the Buccaneers, Gruden went 117-112 in 14-plus seasons as an NFL head coach. He went 5-4 in five trips to the postseason.
