Media Reacts to Jon Gruden Resigning After Racist, Homophobic and Sexist Emails: Sounds Like ‘Trump’s New Running Mate’

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Getty Images

After soaking up the pomp and circumstance during a red-carpet rollout for his NFL return three years ago, Jon Gruden exits the Las Vegas Raiders by way of self-inflicted disgrace.

Last Friday, the Wall Street Journal released a 2011 email from Gruden, where he used a racist trope to describe NFL Players Association director DeMaurice Smith. After briefly surviving the decade-old racist comment, The New York Times proved his comments about Smith were just the tip of the iceberg, reporting that Gruden had also made homophobic and misogynistic remarks.

Gruden announced his resignation Monday night following the second bombshell report. His offensive comments were uncovered during the NFL’s investigation into the toxic workplace environment of the Washington Football Team.

The emails were reportedly exchanged between Gruden and former WFT president Bruce Allen from 2011-2018. At the time, Gruden was an ESPN employee, working in their Monday Night Football booth.

More than 650,000 emails were investigated by the NFL and so far, WFT ownership and executives have been spared the type of deserved public condemnation that’s being directed at Gruden.

The football coach’s resignation from the Raiders comes while in the fourth season of a 10-year $100 million contract.

“I have resigned as Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders,” Gruden said in a released statement. “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.”

The topic of Gruden dominated sports media and Twitter Monday night, with few defending him and most recognizing his mutual parting of the ways from Las Vegas as a necessary fallout. But considering the racist, homophobic and misogynistic nature used in the damning emails, one parallel was repeatedly made on Twitter, connecting Gruden to former President Donald Trump.

Jon Gruden won’t work again.

Except as an Ohio senator or governor, or member of the upcoming Trump cabinet.

I wish I were kidding.

— Dan Bernstein (@dan_bernstein) October 12, 2021

The Trump family just announced they intend to back Jon Gruden for his next political gig.

— Roy White III (@RDubThree) October 12, 2021

Jon Gruden will now be reading all his emails at every Trump rally going forward.

— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) October 12, 2021

If Gruden can develop a solid anti-vax stance, he’s got a shot at GOP nomination or Trump’s running mate.

— Tom Watson (@tomwatson) October 12, 2021

As a racist, misogynistic, homophobe #Gruden can no longer coach in the #Nfl! But he could always be #Trumps new running mate! #TeamDl

— DL Hughley (@RealDLHughley) October 12, 2021

If you think about it, why would Jon Gruden have any qualms about sending slur-filled emails to Bruce Allen at his work account when the address was something like @redskins.com?

— J.A. Adande (@jadande) October 12, 2021

Jon Gruden’s emails are further & final proof for the necessity of minority voices in positions of power.

In 2011, Gruden was a homophobic racially insensitive pervert. He was also the face of #MNF on ESPN, speaking to an audience of 13.3 million people weekly. pic.twitter.com/9rpZTVBPBj

— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) October 12, 2021

ESPN talking about how the Raiders organization handles Jon Gruden’s behavior while he was an ESPN employee is wild

— Mike Ryan (Ruiz) ⭐️⭐️ (@MichaelRyanRuiz) October 12, 2021

Sad thing is, yeah, Gruden is rightfully out of a job, but he’s not at all the only person in the league who thinks and talks that way. That’s why he felt so comfortable communicating like that.

— Mike Jones (@ByMikeJones) October 12, 2021

Jon Gruden said he didn’t have a racist bone in his entire body. Turns out the racist bone’s connected to the homophobic bone. The homophobic bone’s connected to the misogynistic bone. The misogynistic bone’s connected to the transphobic bone…

— Rob “Stats” Guerrera (@StatsOnFire) October 12, 2021

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