The former Raiders coach resigned in October 2021 after it was revealed he sent numerous offensive emails while employed by ESPN.
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Jon Gruden has been out of the spotlight since stepping down as coach of the Raiders in October 2021, but he defended his character and discussed his professional future at a public appearance Tuesday.
Gruden, who resigned from the Raiders after it was revealed he sent numerous offensive emails while employed by ESPN, has a lawsuit pending against the NFL alleging that he was forced out in Las Vegas.
Against that backdrop, Gruden briefly spoke about the emails that led to his exit from the Raiders and his possible return to the coaching world during an appearance at the Little Rock Touchdown Club in Arkansas.
“I’m ashamed about what has come about in these emails, and I’ll make no excuses for it,” Gruden said. “It’s shameful. But, I am a good person. I believe that. I go to church. I’ve been married for 31 years (and) have three great boys. I still love football. I’ve made some mistakes, but I don’t think anybody in here hasn’t. And I just ask for forgiveness, and hopefully I get another shot.”
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Presumably, Gruden has been advised by legal counsel not to publicly discuss the emails in detail. The content included racist, misogynistic and anti-LGBTQ language. The NFL alleges that Gruden continued to send similar offensive emails while serving as coach of the Raiders.
But it’s clear from these comments that Gruden hopes for another opportunity to coach, despite the damage to his reputation. Gruden posted a 117–112 record in 15 seasons as coach of the Raiders and Buccaneers. He guided Tampa Bay to victory in Super Bowl XXXVII to cap the 2002 season.
Gruden also jabbed at ESPN during his Tuesday appearance in Little Rock, questioning the network’s credibility without providing evidence to support his claim.
“I worked at ESPN for nine years,” said Gruden, who was once the highest-paid on-air figure at the network. “I worked hard at that job. I don’t even wanna watch the channel anymore. Because I don’t believe everything is true. And I know a lot of it is just trying to get people to watch.”
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