Gruden sues league, commissioner over release of emails
Denver coordinator goes on COVID list
Former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden has sued Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL, alleging that a “malicious and orchestrated campaign” was used to destroy Gruden’s career by leaking old emails he had sent that included racist, misogynistic and homophobic comments.
The suit was filed in district court in Clark County, Nevada, on Thursday, exactly a month after Gruden resigned as Raiders coach following the publication of his emails by the Wall Street Journal and New York Times.
The emails sent to former Washington Football Team executive Bruce Allen from 2011 to 2018 during Gruden’s time as an announcer at ESPN included racist, misogynistic and homophobic comments. They came from a set of 650,000 emails obtained by the league in June during an investigation into the workplace culture of the Washington Football Team.
Gruden’s attorney, Adam Hosmer-Henner, said in a statement 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.”
“In contrast to the formalities of the Washington Football Team investigation, Defendants’ treatment of Gruden was a Soviet-style character assassination,” the lawsuit alleges. “There was no warning and no process. Defendants held the emails for months until they were leaked to the national media in the middle of the Raiders’ season in order to cause maximum damage to Gruden.”
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy denied the charges.
“The allegations are entirely meritless and the NFL will vigorously defend against these claims,” McCarthy said.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Oct. 8 that Gruden used a racist term to describe NFL union chief DeMaurice Smith.
The suit says that the NFL pressured the Raiders to fire Gruden after the release of that email and “intimated that further documents would become public if Gruden was not fired.”
Gruden coached two days later and then on Oct. 11 the New York Times revealed additional offensive emails. Gruden then resigned less than halfway through the fourth year of his 10-year, $100 million contract with the Raiders.
Raiders owner Mark Davis said last month that he had reached a settlement with Gruden over the final six-plus years of his contract. Davis did not reveal the terms of the settlement.
The lawsuit said Gruden lost a sponsorship deal with Skechers and was pulled from appearing in the Madden NFL 2022 video game, as well as having future employment and endorsement prospects damaged.
Gruden is seeking unspecified damages on seven claims, as well as punitive damages and attorneys’ fees.
BRONCOS: Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur tested positive for the coronavirus Friday and went on the reserve/COVID-19 list along with a fourth player infected this week.
A couple of hours after coach Vic Fangio declined to say who would call the plays Sunday against Philadelphia if Shurmur can’t, the team confirmed it would be quarterbacks coach Mike Shula, who would also be on the headset with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
Also Friday, the Broncos placed guard-center Austin Schlottmann on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
The team has stepped up its mitigation measures this week, having everyone wear masks indoors and moving meetings to bigger rooms where players are more spread out.
“It’s tough,” defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones said. “It feels like last year again.”
RAMS: Odell Beckham Jr. arrived in Los Angeles on Friday by private jet and made his way north to the Rams’ training complex. Although he passed his physical and signed his contract, the receiver didn’t participate in his new team’s first practice.
Just eight games remain in the regular season for the Rams (7-2), but they don’t intend to rush their latest prizes into action. Los Angeles acquired Beckham and pass rusher Von Miller to help out for the next two months, but also in hopes of making the following month — the playoffs — even more special.
BROWNS: Coach Kevin Stefanski declared running backs Nick Chubb, Demetric Felton and John Kelly out for Sunday’s game at New England. Two-time Pro Bowler Chubb and rookie Felton were placed on the reserve/ COVID-19 list on Tuesday, while Kelly landed there on Monday.
All would have been required to test negative for two consecutive days to be able to face the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Per league protocols, they can’t be activated on Sunday, meaning their second negative test had to come by 2 p.m. MT Saturday. Stefankski’s announcement means the running backs were still symptomatic or tested positive Friday.
D’Ernest Johnson will carry the load at running back against the Patriots.
SAINTS: Running back Alvin Kamara, starting left tackle Terron Armstead and prominent defensive back C.J. GardnerJohnson have been ruled out of Sunday’s game at Tennessee.
Kamara has not practiced this week after injuring his knee — but continuing to play — during a loss last Sunday to Atlanta. Now Mark Ingram, entering his third game in his second stint for New Orleans since being traded from Houston, is in line to get the bulk of the work at running back for New Orleans against the Titans.
BUCS: Receiver Chris Godwin, sidelined Wednesday and Thursday with an unspecified foot injury, practiced Friday and will be a game-time decision Sunday, coach Bruce Arians said. So will cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting (elbow) and receiver Scotty Miller (turf toe).