The grimace, the every-man lingo, the persona dripping in machismo, the claims to know and focus on nothing but football and football alone. Instead, it seemed Gruden leaned into the caricature he became. But they were also sent about a decade or so after Gruden gained national prominence, and not much growth was evident in those emails. True, those emails were sent about a decade or so ago, which is plenty of time for a mind to grow. And if Gruden was so comfortable talking so recklessly in his emails, it’s hard not to wonder if Davis knew about some of these elements with Gruden and overlooked them to hire the coach he coveted. But they’re all slight compared to his fawning over Gruden and giving him $100 million over 10 years. Asking his players not to protest in a Raiders uniform, a request he later withdrew. He’s maintained this part of the Raiders’ foundation pretty well, with the team’s stance on domestic violence, his open support for Nassib.ĭavis has had his bumps for sure. Mark Davis, the son of the patriarch and ruler of Raider Nation, may have forgotten that when he hired Gruden. The franchise moved to Las Vegas banking on this being true, that the community they built across the nation would meet up behind the Mandalay Bay Hotel. The diversity of cultures and ethnicities, incomes and education levels, was a product of the Raiders’ inclusive way of doing things. That certainly sounds Pollyannish and romanticized, but all it took was a trip around the tailgate scene at Raiders games in Oakland to feel the spirit of the Raiders. The brand is also about winning the hearts of people, even outcasts, by feeding their universal need for community. The “commitment to excellence” has never been just about winning football games. This part of the Raiders is just as important as the three Super Bowl championships. And he has a track record of people who benefited from his spirit of humanity. He loved the story of people - defying odds, fighting back, making your own way.
He honored an individual’s right to earned opportunities by giving people chances. He respected talent no matter how it was packaged. Even old pirate codes gave voting rights to everyone.Īs much as a sports team can embody some of these glamorized traits, Al Davis embodied the universal camaraderie of pirates. And they aren’t respecters of persons when it’s time to pillage. Raiders are with whoever is down to ride. If there is something honorable about the idealized concept of a Raider - and the unapologetic pirate mindset that fuels the entire Raiders ethos - it’s the inclusion. I’m sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone.” Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation. “I love the Raiders and do not want to be a distraction. “I have resigned as Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders,” Gruden said in a statement he released. Gruden betrayed this spirit, and he isn’t worthy to hang the white tracksuit, let alone lead Al Davis’ franchise. He set a foundation so strong that Carl Nassib became the first openly gay player in the NFL, and it was fitting he played for the Raiders. He hired Tom Flores - Hall of Famer Tom Flores - as the second Latino head coach in NFL history. He hired Amy Trask as the first female chief executive. He hired Art Shell, making him the first Black coach in the NFL. Al Davis refused to play in Mobile, Ala., in 1963 because of the state’s segregation laws. That 85-foot torch in Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas is a glorious reminder of the man who changed sports, and thus society, with his version of rebellion. He proved himself unfit to be the steward of the Raiders’ pioneering tradition of bucking stereotypes and pushing against those old harmful ways. Instead, Gruden brought shame to the Silver & Black’s legacy of inclusion. He was owner Mark Davis’ pipedream hire, his big move to return the Raiders to greatness. Gruden came to the Raiders to revive the franchise. And, instantly, the old-school charm that made him a beloved figure rebranded him as an old-school bigot. According to The New York Times, between 20 Gruden sent numerous messages - most of them to then-Washington GM Bruce Allen, his buddy and former Raiders co-boss - that included racist tropes, homophobic slurs, misogynistic comments and just overall closed-mindedness. Gruden is out as the Raiders head coach after an investigation not involving him came across some old emails he sent.
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