Jon Gruden is suing the NFL and Roger Goodell over the release of emails featuring misogynistic, racist and anti-LGBTQ language he sent to former Washington team president Bruce Allen, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The suit, filed in Clark County, Nev., accuses the league and commissioner of a "malicious and orchestrated campaign," in which they "sought to destroy the career and reputation" of the former Raiders coach.
After the release of the emails, Gruden resigned as Las Vegas coach in October.
The emails were reviewed as part of the league's workplace misconduct investigation into the Washington Football Team. More than 650,000 emails were reviewed, from 2010 to '18. Gruden used a racist trope to describe NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith, claimed the league pressured the Rams to draft Michael Sam—at the time the first openly gay draft-eligible player in NFL history—and used homophobic language to describe commissioner Roger Goodell.
Per a statement released by Gruden's attorney Adam Hosmer-Henner, the complaint "alleges that the defendants selectively leaked Gruden's private correspondence to The Wall Street Journal and New York Times in order to harm Gruden's reputation and force him out of his job.
"There is no explanation or justification for why Gruden's emails were the only ones made public out of the 650,000 emails collected in the NFL's investigation of the Washington Football Team or for why the emails were held for months before being released in the middle of the Raiders' season," Hosmer-Henner continued, via NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
The NFL has released a statement in rebuttal, calling the allegations "entirely meritless."
When Gruden announced his resignation, he said in a statement that he did not want to "be a distraction" to the team. "Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation. I’m sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone.”
Gruden had a record of 22–31 as Raiders coach.
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