What the Las Vegas Raiders are saying in the aftermath of Jon Gruden’s resignation
Following the resignation of Jon Gruden as the Las Vegas Raiders coach over the email scandals, general manager Mike Mayock said a team meeting took place Wednesday morning.
Speaking at the meeting was Raiders owner Mark Davis, Mayock, interim coach Rich Bisaccia and the team captains about what happened in the past week, and looking ahead to the game Sunday against the Denver Broncos.
“We have an intelligent locker room,” Mayock said. “I think over the last three years we’ve done a pretty good job of bringing in the right kind of people. I’ve touched base with as many of the guys as I could over the last several days. We talked with the players. The captains spoke up at the team meeting to a certain extent, and boy were they eloquent. The common denominator from the players has been focus and professionalism. That’s what I’ve gotten back from them is; we’ve worked too hard, we’ve put too much into this, we believe in Rich and we’re going forward.
“We’re moving forward. We respect obviously their rights and abilities to comment on the situation in any way they want, and I think they’re intelligent enough young men that they’ll do that.”
Gruden resigned Monday after emails surfaced that detailed disturbing comments he made about NFLPA President DeMaurice Smith, NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell and others in the NFL and associated with the league.
The Wall Street Journal first reported that Gruden emailed former The Washington Football Team president/general manager Bruce Alen in 2011 and used a racial trope to describe Smith.
The New York Times later reported that Gruden used homophobic slurs when referring to Goddell and other offensive language to “describe some NFL owners, coaches and journalists who cover the league.”
Gruden resigned Monday evening.
.JPG "BearsRaidersFootball (1).JPG")
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said his wife, Heather, sent him the story detailing what was said in the email. It left him stunned.
“It was a lot to handle, I’ll say it that way,” he said. “I don’t condone that kind of talk. I don’t talk that way. My kids sure as heck will never talk that way. It’s hard because I love the man so much. I’ve done things that I’m glad I’m still loved. I think more than anything, coach needs people to help him and love him and whatever areas that we can, but at the same time what is right is right and what is wrong is wrong. You can imagine there is a lot going in my head.”
Said tight end Darren Waller: “People may want to cancel (Jon Gruden), but at the same time, where do we offer grace for him to learn and grow?”
Mayock backing Bisaccia
Davis named Bisaccia as the interim head coach after Gruden resigned.
Mayock described Bisaccia as “the best leader” who has “the players respect and love Rich Bisaccia.”
“He and I are all in together on this 100 percent,” Mayock said. “We are 3-2 and so any kind of conversation about what we are going to do after the season to me is premature. We’re going to let the season play out, we’re going to see what happens and I’m going to back this son of a gun unequivocally.”
Bisaccia is looking forward to leading the Raiders and offered some thoughts about his new position.
“To have the opportunity be the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders ... wow,” he said. “I guess that is the only thing I’m going to be choked up about.
“We have a good team. We’re a 3-2 team. My message to the team was really about their goals are still alive. They are going to do the best they can to get through whatever things is they get through. It’ll be exciting to see how we all respond — players and coaches.”
This story was originally published October 13, 2021 at 3:58 PM.
