Getty Former NFL WR Chad Johnson.
Though Jon Gruden is no longer employed by an NFL team, his name remains a hot topic around the league. The coach resigned from the Las Vegas Raiders after a flurry of offensive emails were leaked to media that came from the NFL’s investigation into the Washington Football Team. According to The Wall Street Journal, the NFL has reviewed over 650,000 emails involving the Washington Football Team but only a handful of offensive ones from Gruden were what leaked to the media.
Many have come out and stated that the NFL should release all of the emails so that they can be independently reviewed but the league has no intention of doing that right now. At the end of the day, Gruden was just a coach and not an owner so the league has no stake in protecting him. Former NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver Chad Johnson was asked about his thoughts on the situation and took a shot at the league.
A big fish had to fall on the sword to protect those in higher positions so those emails don’t get out.
It’s difficult to know who could be implicated in the emails but it’s much worse for the NFL if an owner gets caught in a scandal than a head coach.
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Jon Gruden Considering a Lawsuit Against NFL: Report
GettyFormer Raiders head coach Jon Gruden.
The NFL would prefer for this story to go away but there are many who would like to see the other emails come out. The league does maintain that they are not the ones who leaked the Gruden emails but the coach isn’t buying it. According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, the former coach “continues to mull his legal options with several lawyers” and is seriously considering launching a lawsuit against the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell.
“This is anything but over,” a source told La Canfora of the Gruden saga.
La Canfora also reported that “some lawyers” believe that Gruden could “have a tortious interference case” and the NFL may have influenced him getting ousted despite not being an employee when he sent the emails. La Canfora reported that Gruden stands to lose around $50 million in future salary after reaching a settlement with the Raiders. Though Gruden’s coaching career is likely over due to the emails, his fight doesn’t appear to be over.
Mark Davis Would Like a Written Report
The NFL is going to have a hard time sweeping the Washington Football Team investigation under the rug if Gruden and the Raiders continue to fight the league. Owner Mark Davis has been the only owner to voice that there needs to be a written report on the investigation.
“Yeah, absolutely,” Davis said at the recent owners meetings, via Vic Tafur of The Athletic. “I think someone should be looking at this. … (The league has) seen all the emails, we have not. … I think that there should be, especially with some of the things that were charged.”
Davis certainly went against the NFL and other owners with those comments. It’ll make it a lot more difficult for the league to move on from the story if Davis continues to make noise.
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Chad Johnson Blasts NFL Over Jon Gruden Email Scandal