Former Las Vegas Raiders coach and NFL broadcaster Jon Gruden mocked President Biden in 2011, calling him a “clueless p—-,” according to new leaked emails.
Gruden’s emails were obtained and reviewed by The New York Times, which published details of the messages Monday evening.
The report reveals a litany of racist, homophobic and other vulgar language used by the former Super Bowl-winning coach and prime-time broadcaster dating back to 2011, when then-President Obama was gearing up to run for a second term and Biden was vice president.
The New York Times did not reveal the specifics of Gruden’s comments on Obama — which were made to longtime colleague and friend Bruce Allen, the former president of what is now known as the Washington Football Team — but the outlet noted Gruden criticized the former president’s 2012 reelection campaign.
In separate comments, Gruden reportedly referred to Biden as a “clueless p—-.”
Gruden, who signed a multiyear, $100 million contract to coach the Raiders in 2018, resigned on Monday soon after the Times published the details of his emails, which were sent from a private account while he worked for ESPN as an analyst for “Monday Night Football.”
“I love the Raiders and do not want to be a distraction,” Gruden said in a statement released during Monday’s broadcast. “Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation. I’m sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone.”
In other emails, Gruden also denounced the hiring of women as referees and criticized players protesting for racial justice during the national anthem, the Times reported. He also used a racial trope to describe the physical appearance of NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith.
Gruden’s emails were unearthed as part of a wide-ranging investigation into the organizational culture of the Washington Football Team.