LAS VEGAS — Las Vegas Raiders fans are saying goodbye to head coach Jon Gruden.
On Monday, Gruden formally announced that he would be resigning from his position as head coach of the Raiders.
"I have resigned as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders," Gruden said in a statement released by the team. "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."
Gruden's resignation happened just about an hour after The New York Times released a report detailing the use of racially insensitive, homophobic, and misogynistic terms in emails that Gruden sent between 2010 to 2018 when he rejoined the Raiders.
In the emails, Gruden used offensive language towards gay players and female referees.
"Now that we really know the real Gruden, I say, ‘Hey, don’t let the door hit you on your way out, buddy,’” said Cisco Ortega, president of The Black Hole Las Vegas chapter.
“As a coach of a football team, as a leader of men, you have to hold yourself to a higher standard, and there has to be accountability. He's got to be thinking of all those things he said and all those things he emailed,” said John Vizcarra, vice president of The Black Hole Las Vegas chapter.
Some Raiders fans we heard from said they were disgusted by the news of the emails.
"It’s like, how do you say those things about people? It’s just very disappointing,” Ortega said.
Others acknowledged the importance of diversity within the NFL, calling his departure the right move.
“Let’s be honest. When you have 75% that the locker room is Black and these comments are in a racist form, from what we’ve heard with the emails, you got to wonder what is that reaction in that locker room?” said sports radio host TC Martin.
"This just to me solidifies what the franchise stands for. That it's inclusive and that it's a place for everything and regardless of orientation, of gender, of belief,” Vizcarra said.
According to The Times, more than 650,000 emails were reviewed by NFL executives as part of the workplace investigation into the Washington football team.
Following Gruden's resignation, the Raiders announced that Rich Bisaccia will serve as interim head coach, effective immediately.
Alyssa Bethencourt at KTNV first reported this story.
