LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Former Raiders coach Jon Gruden says he is “ashamed” about his old offensive emails that cost him his job and hopes to get another chance in football.
Gruden spoke publicly about the affair at the Little Rock (Ark.) Touchdown Club for the first time since he resigned as coach of the Raiders last October. The resignation followed the publication by The New York Times and Wall Street Journal of emails he had sent from 2011-18 that contained racist, homophobic and misogynistic comments.
“I’m ashamed about what has come about in these emails, and I’ll make no excuses for it,” he said. “It’s shameful. But I am a good person. I believe that. I go to church. I’ve been married for 31 years. I’ve got three great boys. I still love football. I’ve made some mistakes. But I don’t think anybody in here hasn’t. And I just ask for forgiveness, and hopefully, I get another shot.”
Gruden resigned as Raiders coach with more than six years remaining on his 10-year, $100 million contract. Raiders owner Mark Davis said last year that the team reached a settlement with Gruden over the final six-plus years of his contract. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
FLORES LAWSUIT: Lawyers for three Black NFL coaches alleging racial bias by the league took aim directly at Commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday in their latest arguments against arbitrating a dispute they say belongs before a jury.
In papers filed in Manhattan federal court, the lawyers wrote that arbitration would allow “unconscionably biased one-sided ‘kangaroo courts’” to decide the outcome of the lawsuit filed in February by Brian Flores, who was fired in January as head coach of the Miami Dolphins. He is now an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Two other coaches – Steve Wilks and Ray Horton – later joined the lawsuit as plaintiffs.
Their lawyers said Goodell, who would lead the arbitration if the case is not decided by a jury, could not be fair in overseeing and ruling on the dispute as to whether the league engages in systemic discrimination. They included in their submission articles about Goodell’s salary and other personal details.
They cited the hundreds of millions of dollars he earns from teams, his public statement that the lawsuit is without merit and the likelihood that he could be a witness in the case.
RAIDERS: Star tight end Darren Waller has hired new agents as he hopes to get a new contract before the start of the season.
Waller cut ties with Klutch Sports last week after less than a year with that agency and signed Wednesday with Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey.
Waller has two years remaining on the contract he signed during the 2019 season. He is owed just less than $14 million in those years with no guaranteed money and is seeking a new deal that reflects his production. According to the website Over The Cap, Waller’s average annual salary ranks 17th among all tight ends in the NFL.
Since becoming a starter in 2019, Waller ranks second in the NFL among all tight ends with 252 catches for 3,006 yards, trailing only Kansas City’s Travis Kelce in both categories. He is also tied for fifth with 14 TD catches the past three years. Waller, who turns 30 on Sept. 13, played 11 games last season when he was hampered by ankle and knee injuries. He had 55 catches for 665 yards and two TDs.
BEARS: Chicago claimed offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood off waivers on Wednesday, a day after the 2021 first-round draft pick was let go by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Leatherwood, the No. 17 overall pick last year, struggled at right tackle before being moved to guard after four games. The Alabama product had difficulties inside, too, and dropped on the depth chart this summer before Las Vegas let him go. It’s the first time the Raiders got rid of a first-round pick prior to his second season since 1988, when they dealt 1987 first-rounder John Clay to the Chargers for Jim Lachey.
The Bears have retooled their offensive line after giving up a league-leading 58 sacks last season. Leatherwood could complete with right guard Teven Jenkins and right tackle Larry Borom.
Chicago also claimed defensive back Josh Blackwell, defensive lineman Kingsley Jonathan, defensive lineman Armon Watts, linebacker Sterling Weatherford and tight end Trevon Wesco off waivers. The Bears released linebacker Joe Thomas and waived linebacker Caleb Johnson, defensive back Duke Shelley, offensive lineman Zachary Thomas and defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga. They placed receiver Tajae Sharpe on injured reserve.
TRADE: Wide receiver Jalen Reagor was acquired by Minnesota in a trade with Philadelphia on Wednesday, sending two draft picks to the Eagles for the player who was selected immediately in front of Vikings star Justin Jefferson two years ago.
The Vikings dealt a seventh-round 2023 pick and a conditional fourth-round 2024 pick to the Eagles, whose choice of Reagor out of TCU at No. 21 overall in 2020 delighted Vikings officials and allowed them to take Jefferson next out of LSU.
Reagor has 64 receptions for 695 yards and three touchdowns over two years.
CHARGERS: Hoping to find a reliable backup to Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles signed running back Sony Michel on Wednesday.
Michel, a first-round pick by New England in 2018, was with the Miami Dolphins during the preseason, but was released in the final round of roster cuts on Tuesday. In a corresponding move, the Chargers waived second-year running back Larry Rountree III.
Michel spent his first three seasons with New England before being traded to the Los Angeles Rams last season. He rushed for 845 yards and had a pair of 100-yard games down the stretch, including 131 in a Week 16 win at Minnesota. In his four seasons, Michel is averaging 4.2 yards per carry and has 20 touchdowns, including two receiving. He had six postseason rushing touchdowns, all during the Patriots’ Super Bowl run in the 2018 season.
BROWNS: Cleveland made another shift in its ever-changing quarterback room, claiming Kellen Mond off waivers from the Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday.
The Browns were looking to add a third quarterback after terminating Josh Rosen’s contract when General Manager Andrew Berry finalized the team’s initial 53-man roster. Mond, a third-round draft pick in 2021 from Texas A&M, was released by the Vikings on Tuesday. He’ll serve as the Browns’ No. 3 QB behind starter Jacoby Brissett and backup Joshua Dobbs.
Cleveland’s quarterback situation has been in almost constant flux this summer with Deshaun Watson leaving the team Tuesday to begin serving his 11-game NFL suspension for alleged sexual misconduct.
PANTHERS: The Carolina Panthers agreed to a one-year contract with kicker Eddy Pineiro, pending the outcome of his physical exam.
Pineiro replaces Zane Gonzalez, who was placed on season-ending injured reserve with a groin injury.
JAGUARS: The Jacksonville Jaguars have another new kicker, their sixth in the last five weeks.
The Jaguars were awarded Riley Patterson off waivers from Detroit. They also cut James McCourt and Jake Verity, who spent the last week vying for a kicking job that’s been open for more than a month. McCourt made all 15 of his field-goal attempts during open portions of practice this week, joint practices in Atlanta last week and the preseason finale against the Falcons on Saturday.
Jacksonville previously tried out and cut undrafted rookie Andrew Mevis, journeyman Elliott Fry and Ryan Santoso.
49ERS: The San Francisco 49ers released running back Trey Sermon a year after trading up to draft him in the third round.
The move to cut Sermon came when the Niners needed a roster spot after claiming offensive lineman Blake Hance off waivers from Cleveland.
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