Jon Gruden emails revealed he called out for Colin Kaepernick to be cut for kneeling during the national anthem
When Jon Gruden resigned as Las Vegas Raiders head coach, it felt like Pandora's box was going to open. The NFL reviewed 650,000 emails sent from the Washington Football Team during its investigation into the team. The emails that the New York Times leaked to the public were just some of many discovered.
Jon Gruden sent emails that included inappropriate comments about the first gay player drafted in the NFL, Michael Sam. He also voiced his displeasure at women getting more job opportunities in football. It was also discovered that he believed Colin Kaepernick should've been cut for kneeling during the national anthem.
Jon Gruden believed Colin Kaepernick should've been cut for kneeling during the national anthem
Kaepernick's story has been one of the biggest catalysts for debate across the political spectrum in the United States over the last decade. Kaepernick began kneeling for the national anthem in the 2016 preseason. At the time, Jon Gruden was still an announcer for Monday Night Football. Gruden said in an email,
“They suspend people for taking amino acids, they should cut this f**k.”
I’m not sure this email has been emphasized enough.
From the “Redacted - ESPN Personality”, to Bruce Allen, two days after Kaep first explained his protest…
“They suspend people for taking amino acids they should cut this f**k”
yhoo.it/3vgyWks https://t.co/pnyyc5DEsQ
Jon Gruden sent that email to Bruce Allen, the president and general manager of Washington at the time. Since Gruden's resignation, fans across the NFL have been pleading for the NFL to release the remaining emails from the investigation.
Jon Gruden and Allen are just two of the names possibly connected to racism, sexism, and anti-gay beliefs. While they've been the most publicized names thus far, odds are the rest of the fallout has yet to come to the forefront.
Kaepernick says he's attempting an NFL comeback
News of Jon Gruden's email about Kaepernick broke two days after Kaepernick said he's ready for an NFL comeback. He said:
“Absolutely. I am still up at 5 a.m. training five, six days a week making sure I’m prepared to take a team to a Super Bowl again. That’s not something I will ever let go of, regardless of the actions of 32 teams and their partners to deny me employment. The same way I was persistent in high school is the same way I’m gonna be persistent here.”
Colin Kaepernick talks about new show, desire to play in NFL again in rare interview - Yahoo Sports ift.tt/3j02D47 #NFL #Football #NFLNews #Superbowl
The NFL is much different than when Kaepernick last played in 2016. Kaepernick's last season was the 2016-17 season when he began kneeling. It's not just different in terms of on-field talent and styles of play. Since Kaepernick left, the NFL has done a lot to try and change its public perception of its acceptance of minorities.
These emails reveal just how much work still needs to be done for the NFL to reach its ultimate goal of equality and acceptance. Kaepernick's return could cause a lot of controversy from both sides of the political spectrum.
But the NFL is at a pivotal point in its public perception after these emails have come out. The Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen's of the world don't belong in this or any league. The fact that Kaepernick hasn't even received a tryout in five years is a sign of just how much work needs to be done in the NFL on these kinds of issues.
Also Read: Who is Colin Kaepernick's Girlfriend, Nessa Diab?