The Jon Gruden saga is continuing as the disgraced former NFL coach keeps taking L’s.
On Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced their removal of Jon Gruden from the Buccaneers Ring of Honor. Gruden was a 2017 Buccaneers Ring of Honor inductee.
Gruden won Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003.
The announcement came a day after Gruden resigned as Las Vegas Raiders head coach following the release of offensive emails.
The #Bucs are removing Jon Gruden from their ring of honor. pic.twitter.com/kIV6vj1i5y
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 12, 2021
Erased From History
“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have advocated for purposeful change in the areas of race relations, gender equality, diversity and inclusion for many years,” the team statement read.
“While we acknowledge Jon Gruden’s contributions on the field, his actions go against our core values as an organization. Therefore, he will no longer continue to be a member of the Buccaneers Ring of Honor.”
The Buccaneers announce Jon Gruden will be removed from the team's Ring of Honor following his resignation as coach of the Raiders. pic.twitter.com/KGeeYKHmjx
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) October 12, 2021
Gruden was one of three coaches in the prestigious Ring of Honor. However, two Buccaneers coaches remain after Gruden’s removal: Tony Dungy and John McKay.
Gruden’s use of racist, homophobic and misogynistic terms in emails reportedly dated back to 2010. On Friday and Monday, articles and reports from The Wall Street Journal and New York Times revealed the offenses.
New Rules
On Monday, Gruden resigned as Raiders head coach. It was Gruden’s second stint as the Raiders head coach; however, he also coached the Buccaneers from 2002-2008.
Gruden accumulated a 57-55 record and took the franchise to a Super Bowl XXXVII victory. However, many point out that he inherited a team from former Buccs coach Tony Dungy to achieve that feat.
Have a Day, Jon Gruden! pic.twitter.com/S8Q9WlKDPZ
— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) October 13, 2021
Additionally, Gruden is losing many of his high-profile endorsements and sponsorships. Gruden’s name will now be removed from the famous “Madden NFL 22” video game, developer EA Sports announced on Wednesday.
EA Sports’ full statement:
EA Sports is committed to taking action in maintaining a culture of inclusion and equity. Due to the circumstances of Jon Gruden’s resignation, we are taking steps to remove him from Madden NFL 22. We will replace him with a generic likeness via a title update in the coming weeks.
L’s On Deck
Gruden has also lost his most significant personal endorsement in the Skechers sneaker brand, which dropped him after the emails came to light.
In addition to losing his job, Gruden is forfeiting the majority of a record 10-year, $100 million contract with the Raiders.
Breaking: Jon Gruden is out as Raiders head coach, as first reported by NFL Network and confirmed by @AdamSchefter.
“It’s over,” a source told Schefter. pic.twitter.com/BW5RJZ7bzd
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 12, 2021
Everything fell apart for Gruden after the investigation into workplace misconduct with the Washington Football Team. On Tuesday, the NFL Players Association said that it plans to request that the NFL release the remainder of the 650,000 emails reviewed as part of the WFT investigation.
“We have had communications with the league, and the NFLPA plans to request that the NFL release the rest of the emails,” NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith told USA Today Sports in a phone interview.
Attorneys representing 40 former employees of the Washington Football Team have also requested the NFL to release the emails.
Jon Gruden just released an official statement. This is insane. pic.twitter.com/Y9JJOIZJDc
— Barry (@BarryOnHere) October 12, 2021
The Fallout
“It is truly outrageous that after the NFL’s 10-month investigation involving hundreds of witnesses and 650,000 documents related to the longtime culture of harassment and abuse at the Washington Football Team, the only person to be held accountable and lose their job is the coach of the Las Vegas Raiders,” lawyers Lisa Banks and Debra Katz said in a statement.
The NFLPA plans to request that the NFL release full findings of the Washington Football Team investigation in July, per @ByMikeJones.
Players are pushing for all emails to be released, including information pertaining to owner Dan Snyder. pic.twitter.com/MtAeCszoCr
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) October 12, 2021
“If the NFL felt it appropriate to release these offensive emails from Jon Gruden, which it obtained during its investigation into the Washington Football Team, it must also release the findings related to the actual target of that investigation.
“Our clients and the public at large deserve transparency and accountability. If not, the NFL and [commissioner] Roger Goodell must explain why they appear intent on protecting the Washington Football Team and owner Dan Snyder at all costs.”
The reckoning for the NFL system is upon the world.
