Jon Gruden could soon be vindicated, according to Jon Gruden.
After resigning in disgrace as the Raiders head coach after emails leaked in which he used racist, homophobic and sexist language, Gruden picked up the phone when a producer of HBO’s “Real Sports” called.
“He’s still in Las Vegas,” Andrea Kremer said on the “Real Sports Podcast” Thursday. “… He said he’s letting the dust settle. He said, ‘People who know me know what I stand for for 58 years. I have a resume of 58 years.’ He said, ‘The truth will come out.’ It’s certainly cryptic.”
It does track with the terse statement Gruden released upon his resignation, in which he apologized generally, but said first that he didn’t want to be a distraction to the team.
Gruden’s emails, which were released to the New York Times, included him belittling female referees, players who protested the national anthem, the drafting of Michael Sam — an openly gay player — and use of homophobic slurs to describe commissioner Roger Goodell. The emails were released to the NFL as part of a separate workplace misconduct investigation focused on the Washington Football Team.
Gruden and Bruce Allen, the former WFT president, also exchanged photos of scantily clad women, including cheerleaders for Washington.
In addition to resigning from the Raiders, Gruden has been removed from the “Madden 22” video game, and his name taken off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ ring of honor.
Exactly what truth would exonerate him from the situation is unclear, but at least according to Gruden, we’ll find out in due time.