While many major corporations are following President Donald Trump&#8217;s lead and dialing back their implemented Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, NFL Commissioner <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/roger-goodell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roger Goodell</a> is doubling down.
Speaking to the press in the lead up to Super Bowl LIX, Goodell explained that he believes such initiatives made the league better.
WATCH:
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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said on Feb. 3 that he had no plans to scale back on diversity programs, after US President Donald Trump called for similar initiatives to be dismantled within the federal government and urged private companies to do the same <a href="https://t.co/nnRDjc4aXD">https://t.co/nnRDjc4aXD</a> <a href="https://t.co/c7uOZX8tdX">pic.twitter.com/c7uOZX8tdX</a>
&mdash; Reuters Legal (@ReutersLegal) <a href="https://twitter.com/ReutersLegal/status/1886867322226577423?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I believe that our diversity efforts have made the NFL better,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It attracted better talent, we get different backgrounds, people with different perspectives &#8230; whether they&#8217;re women or men or people of color, we make ourselves stronger and we make ourselves better when we have that. It&#8217;s something that I think will have an impact on this league for many, many years.&#8221;
Goodell went on to explain that the DEI efforts had not been implemented due to social pressure but because he and others believed &#8220;it was the right thing for the National Football League.&#8221; He added that the league would also not abandon those practices due to social pressures.
&#8220;We’re going to continue those efforts because we’ve not only convinced ourselves, I think we’ve proven ourselves that it does make the NFL better; so we’re not in this because it’s a trend to get in or a trend to get out of it. Our efforts are fundamental in trying to attract the best possible talent into the National Football League — both on and off the field, as I said previously — and we see that. We see how it’s benefited the National Football League, so I think we’ll continue those efforts,&#8221; he added.
Goodell also faced questions about whether or not the league&#8217;s officials were fair — and, more specifically, whether they were showing favoritism toward the Kansas City Chiefs.
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&quot;That&#39;s a ridiculous theory — for anyone who might take it seriously. But at the end of the day, it&#39;s something we always have to continue to work on: How do we make our officiating better?&quot;
&#8211; Roger Goodell when asked about public perception that referees are favoring the Chiefs <a href="https://t.co/uA2YX7FE7s">pic.twitter.com/uA2YX7FE7s</a>
&mdash; NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFLonCBS/status/1886528686280581495?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;That&#8217;s a ridiculous theory — for anyone who might take it seriously,&#8221; Goodell said. &#8220;But at the end of the day, it&#8217;s something we always have to continue to work on: How do we make our officiating better?&#8221;

Super Bowl LVI – Host City Handoff Press Conference

NFL’s Goodell Doubles Down On DEI, Says It Makes Football Better

Football

Roger Goodell

U.S.

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nfl">NFL</a> has reportedly sent the word to remove the messaging “End Racism” from the end zones for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/super-bowl">Super Bowl</a> LIX in New Orleans on Sunday.
It will be the first time since February 2021 that the message &#8220;End Racism&#8221; has not appeared in a Super Bowl end zone. According to multiple sources, when the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles players take the field at the Caesars Superdome, the messaging in the end zones will read, “It Takes All Of Us” and “Choose Love,” the Athletic <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6112317/2025/02/04/nfl-end-racism-super-bowl-dei-trump/?partner=slack&amp;smid=sl-share">reported</a>. 
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From <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAthletic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAthletic</a>: Sunday’s Super Bowl will mark the first time since February 2021 that “End Racism” is not included as a message in the back of the final&#8217;s end zone, according to league sources. <a href="https://t.co/uyz2HSBFGj">https://t.co/uyz2HSBFGj</a>
— The New York Times (@nytimes) <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1886829629555589372?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
“We felt it was an appropriate statement for what the country has collectively endured, given recent tragedies, and can serve as an inspiration,” NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said of the chosen messages, noting the terrorist attack in New Orleans’ French Quarter last month, the recent plane crash near Reagan Washington National Airport, and the wildfires that destroyed communities in Southern California.
The news follows reports that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-become-first-sitting-president-to-attend-super-bowl">President Donald Trump</a> will become the first sitting U.S. president to attend the NFL’s biggest game. A White House official told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/04/politics/donald-trump-super-bowl/index.html">CNN</a> on Tuesday that Trump is expected to attend the Super Bowl with guests that could include House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).
The heavy security planned for the game will be heightened even more for the president’s attendance, according to CNN. The Super Bowl will take place just over a month after a radical Islamic terrorist drove a truck through a crowd on Bourbon Street on New Year’s Day, killing 14 people.
In 2018, the league initially launched its “Inspire Change” platform, and two years later, slogans like “Stop Hate,” “End Racism,” “It Takes All of Us,” and “Choose Love” started to make an appearance along end-zone borders, the outlet noted. However, the changes didn’t happen until after George Floyd’s death in 2020. 
Despite the reported messaging move for the Super Bowl, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell praised DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) efforts at the club-employment level and said it wasn’t going anywhere.
“We got into diversity efforts because we felt it was the right thing for the National Football League,” Goodell said. “And we’re going to continue those efforts, because we’ve not only convinced ourselves we’ve proven it to ourselves — it does make the NFL better.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-become-first-sitting-president-to-attend-super-bowl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump To Become First Sitting President To Attend Super Bowl</a>

NFL: DEC 15 Dolphins at Giants

NFL To Remove ‘End Racism’ Message In Super Bowl End Zones: Report

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Entertainment

George Floyd

Racism

Social Issues

Super Bowl

Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, vented his rage after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell protested he didn’t know why Portnoy had been banned from NFL games.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) asked Goodell, “Why do you ban Dave Portnoy from NFL games? He’s a journalist. In fact, he’s a sports journalist. Why is he banned?”
“Congressman, I’m not familiar with that issue,” Goodell replied.
“Really?” Jordan interjected.
“I’m happy to check with my staff but I’m unaware of that,” Goodell continued.
“LIAR! LIAR! LIAR! YOU CAN’T LIE LIE LIE! HITLER!” Portnoy tweeted.
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LIAR! LIAR! LIAR! YOU CAN’T LIE LIE LIE! HITLER! <a href="https://t.co/a37veG8IQP">pic.twitter.com/a37veG8IQP</a>
&mdash; Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) <a href="https://twitter.com/stoolpresidente/status/1539642152438964227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Barstool Sports was banned from NFL games after the group protested at NFL headquarters in 2015 and wouldn’t leave; they were protesting then-New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s suspension for his participation in Deflategate. Portnoy is a strong Patriots fan.
After Portnoy &amp; co. protested at NFL headquarters, Portnoy created 70,000 towels that had Goodell&#8217;s face with a clown nose on them.
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I didn’t see any clown towels at the game
&#8211; Roger Goodell <a href="https://t.co/F5eeH35QWf">pic.twitter.com/F5eeH35QWf</a>
&mdash; Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) <a href="https://twitter.com/stoolpresidente/status/1539656377383387136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
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In 2018, Portnoy and Eric Sollenberger <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/commanders-news-rodger-goodell-hitler-says-barstools-dave-portnoy-amid-daniel-snyder-fiasco/">sneaked</a> into Super Bowl Media Day, then interviewed some players before they were arrested.
“Both Sollenberger and Portnoy disguised themselves and made fake media badges to ensure they would not be stopped by security,” <a href="https://www.sportskeeda.com/nfl/news-why-dave-portnoy-banned-nfl-games">Sportskeeda</a> recalled. “Portnoy would wear a hat and a fake mustache and go under the name Frannie Lydon. Barstool Sports founder would go further by having a &#8216;I heart Roger Goodell&#8217; on the hat he was wearing.”
In 2019 Portnoy was dragged out of that year&#8217;s Super Bowl. “Video shared on Barstool’s Instagram page shows a group of security guards swarming around Portnoy, then grabbing and literally carrying him out of the stadium as his feet flopped against its stairs,” <a href="https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2019/02/03/dave-portnoy-super-bowl/">Boston magazine</a> reported.
Team Portnoy issued a satiric response after Goodell’s testimony to Jordan, writing:
<blockquote>Adolf Hitler. Kim Jong-un. Henry Blodget. Roger Goodell. The Mount Rushmore of despicably evil leaders. Today Roger Goodell erased any doubt that he belongs on that list after he committed perjury, lying under oath to the US government.</blockquote>
Commenting on Goodell’s protestation that he was not familiar with the ban on Portnoy, Portnoy wrote, “We’ll take ‘Big Fat Lies’ for $2000, Alex.”
After calling Goodell’s reply “hogwash,&#8221; Portnoy continued, “We’re not sure what the punishment for lying to the US government and American people should be. But you have to assume the death penalty is on the table. In the meantime, Portnoy will continue to defend the First Amendment of the US Constitution and help bring truth to all Americans.”
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Team Portnoy Press Release: <a href="https://t.co/5DyVDKRIIB">pic.twitter.com/5DyVDKRIIB</a>
&mdash; Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) <a href="https://twitter.com/stoolpresidente/status/1539663534392774656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Portnoy

‘Liar! Liar! Liar!’: Dave Portnoy Slams NFL’s Roger Goodell After Testimony Before Congress

Dave Portnoy slams NFL's Roger Goodell for claiming he didn't know why Portnoy was banned

Dave Portnoy

Liar

Former Las Vegas coach Jon Gruden scored a big win in court against the National Football League and Roger Goodell after a judge denied a motion to dismiss Gruden&#8217;s &#8220;tortious interference&#8221; claim in his lawsuit.
A judge in Nevada ruled that the former Raider&#8217;s coach&#8217;s two motions could move forward, opening up the possibility of a jury trial in his claim that the league and Commissioner Roger Goodell selectively leaked his emails in 2021. The emails were found during a separate investigation by the league into the then-Washington Redskins over allegations of workplace misconduct, <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33983514/judge-denies-nfl-motions-dismiss-jon-gruden-lawsuit-move-arbitration?platform=amp">ESPN.com</a> reported in a piece published Thursday. This led to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jon-gruden-resigns-as-raiders-head-coach-after-additional-emails-emerge">Gruden resigning</a> shortly after the start of the 2021 season.
Judge Nancy L. Allf refused the league&#8217;s request to dismiss the case outright and denied the NFL&#8217;s motion to compel arbitration. Now Gruden&#8217;s suit will go to trial unless a settlement is reached, the outlet noted. Following the decision, the NFL issued a statement that it planned to appeal.
&#8220;We believe Coach Gruden&#8217;s claims should have been compelled to arbitration, and we will file an appeal of the Court&#8217;s determination,&#8221; the statement from the league read. &#8220;The Court&#8217;s denial of our motion to dismiss is not a determination on the merits of Coach Gruden&#8217;s lawsuit, which, as we have said from the outset, lacks a basis in law and fact and proceeds from a false premise &#8212; neither the NFL nor the Commissioner leaked Coach Gruden&#8217;s offensive emails.&#8221;
Gruden, who was present in the Nevada courtroom when the judge&#8217;s decision was announced, said he would &#8220;let the process take care of itself.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m just going to let the process take care of itself,&#8221; Gruden shared while leaving the courtroom. &#8220;It&#8217;s good to be back in Vegas. I&#8217;m going to see some friends tonight. Go Raiders.&#8221;
In November, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jon-gruden-sues-nfl-roger-goodell">Gruden filed the suit</a> over emails that contained racially insensitive language, as well as use of a gay slur and misogynistic language that was &#8220;not fit to be repeated in a public courtroom,&#8221; per NFL&#8217;s counsel Kannon Shanmugam.
At the time, the former coach&#8217;s attorney Adam Hosmer-Henner claimed that the league leaked emails to &#8220;harm Gruden&#8217;s reputation and force him out of his job,&#8221; because the NFL was in possession of them months before the season started.
&#8220;There is no explanation or justification for why Gruden&#8217;s emails were the only ones made public out of the 650,000 emails collected &#8230; or for why the emails were held for months before being released in the middle of the Raiders&#8217; season,&#8221; Hosmer-Henner&#8217;s statement added.
Gruden worked for ESPN as an analyst on &#8220;Monday Night Football&#8221; from 2009 to 2017, and it is from his time with the sports network that the emails stem.
He was the coach of the Raiders from 1998 to 2001 before leaving to coach the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2002 to 2008 where he lead them to the Super Bowl and they beat the Raiders in SB XXXVII. He was rehired in 2018 and given a 10-year, $100 million contract.

Chicago Bears v Las Vegas Raiders

Jon Gruden Scores Win In Court Against NFL, Roger Goodell As Judge Denies Motion To Dismiss Lawsuit

Jon Gruden

Las Vegas

Sports

Following the news that former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores was suing the NFL for racial discrimination in its hiring process, the league put out a statement saying the claims made by Flores were “without merit.”
Saturday morning, the message from commissioner Roger Goodell to all 32 teams certainly appeared to be singing a different tune.
<blockquote>Racism and any form of discrimination is contrary to the NFL&#8217;s values. We have made significant efforts to promote diversity and adopted numerous policies and programs which have produced positive change in many areas, however we must acknowledge that particularly with respect to head coaches the results have been unacceptable. We will reevaluate and examine all policies, guidelines and initiatives relating to diversity, equity and inclusion, including as they relate to gender. We are retaining outside experts to assist in this review and will also solicit input from current and former players and coaches, advocates and other authorities in this area. Our goal is simple: make our efforts and those of the clubs more effective so that real and tangible results will be achieved.
We understand the concerns expressed by Coach Flores and others this week. While the legal process moves forward, we will not wait to reassess and modify our strategies to ensure that they are consistent with our values and longstanding commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. In particular, we recognize the need to understand the lived experiences of diverse members of the NFL family to ensure that everyone has access to opportunity and is treated with respect and dignity.</blockquote>
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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to all clubs this morning regarding coaching diversity and admitted “the results have been unacceptable.” <a href="https://t.co/Hyhwu0mEJY">pic.twitter.com/Hyhwu0mEJY</a>
&mdash; Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1489985648853405703?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2022</a></blockquote>
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In the <a href="https://www.wigdorlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Complaint-against-National-Football-League-et-al-Filed.pdf">class-action suit </a>filed in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, Flores sued the NFL and several teams, naming the Denver Broncos, the New York Giants, and the Dolphins, for racial discrimination in the NFL’s hiring process. 
In the suit, Flores makes the claim that Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross pressured Flores to “tank” during the 2019 season, to the point that Ross offered Flores $100,000 for each loss during the season. He also claims that “Mr. Ross began to pressure Mr. Flores to recruit a prominent quarterback in violation of League tampering rules” at the end of the 2019 season. 
Flores was fired as head coach of the Dolphins in January, following two winning seasons as head coach in Miami. It was the first back-to-back winning seasons for the organization since the 2003 season. 
Flores claims that as a result of refusing to recruit the quarterback, he was “treated with disdain and held out as someone who was noncompliant and difficult to work with.” The suit alleges that the Dolphins labeled Flores as “difficult to work with” through the media. 
“This is reflective of an all too familiar ‘angry black man’ stigma that is often casted upon Black men who are strong in their morals and convictions while white men are coined as passionate for those very same attributes,” the suit <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-miami-dolphins-head-coach-brian-flores-sues-nfl-alleging-racial-discrimination-in-hiring-process">states</a>. 
Flores also alleges that the Giants interviewed him while already intending to hire Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, in order to satisfy the Rooney Rule requirements.
The suit shows text messages between Flores and New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, in which Belichick informs Flores that the Giants had decided to hire Daboll before New York conducted their interview with Flores. Belichick apparently believed he was texting Daboll instead of Flores. 
Flores also alleges that in a 2019 interview for the Broncos head coaching position, “then-General Manager, John Elway, President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Ellis and others, showed up an hour late to the interview.”
“They looked completely disheveled, and it was obvious that they had [been] drinking heavily the night before,” the suit continues. “It was clear from the substance of the interview that Mr. Flores was interviewed only because of the Rooney Rule, and that the Broncos never had any intention to consider him as a legitimate candidate for the job. Shortly thereafter, Vic Fangio, a white man, was hired to be the Head Coach of the Broncos.”
Flores put out a statement on Tuesday saying that he was “standing up against systemic racism in the NFL” by filing the suit. 
“God has gifted me with a special talent to coach the game of football, but the need for change is bigger than my personal goals,” Flores <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33194862/brian-flores-sues-nfl-others-former-miami-dolphins-coach-alleges-racism-hiring-practices">said</a> in a release put out by the Wigdor firm. “In making the decision to file the class action complaint today, I understand that I may be risking coaching the game that I love and that has done so much for my family and me. My sincere hope is that by standing up against systemic racism in the NFL, others will join me to ensure that positive change is made for generations to come.”
The Broncos, Giants, and Dolphins have all denied the allegations. 
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to sports@dailywire.com.

NFL: DEC 09 Steelers at Vikings

Roger Goodell Calls Lack Of Diversity In Head Coaching Ranks ‘Unacceptable’

The NFL has asked a Nevada state court to dismiss the lawsuit of former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, and filed another motion to bring about arbitration. 
Gruden resigned from his position in October after the discovery of offensive emails he sent over a period of seven years while he was working as an analyst for ESPN on “Monday Night Football.”
“Gruden does not, and cannot, dispute that he wrote the published emails. He does not, and cannot, dispute that he sent those emails to multiple parties,” the league’s filing says according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-sports-roger-goodell-jon-gruden-nevada-04de28a89916463487518d11e62e9152">Associated Press</a>. “Nor does he claim that they were somehow altered or edited and that the repugnant views espoused in them were not in fact expressed by him. Instead, Gruden filed the instant complaint against the NFL and the commissioner, painting himself as the victim in a fictional story and seeking money through baseless claims against the NFL.”
Gruden’s lawsuit accuses the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell of leaking the emails with the intention of forcing him out of his head coaching position with the Raiders. The emails were discovered during the NFL’s investigation of workplace misconduct in the Washington Football Team’s organization.
“The complaint alleges that the defendants selectively leaked Gruden’s private correspondence to the Wall Street Journal and New York Times in order to harm Gruden’s reputation and force him out of his job,” Gruden’s attorney Adam Hosmer-Henner <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32615059/jon-gruden-suing-nfl-roger-goodell-saying-forced-las-vegas-raiders-job">said</a>. “There is no explanation or justification for why Gruden’s emails were the only ones made public out of the 650,000 emails collected in the NFL’s investigation of the Washington Football Team or for why the emails were held for months before being released in the middle of the Raiders’ season.”
The NFL’s filing suggests that Goodell would have fired Gruden had he not resigned as head coach of the Raiders. 
“This action—brought by Jon Gruden to blame anyone but himself for the fallout from the publication of racist, homophobic and misogynistic emails that he wrote and broadly circulated—belongs in arbitration under the clear terms of Gruden’s employment contract and the NFL’s Constitution and Bylaws to which Gruden is bound,” the NFL <a href="https://theathletic.com/news/nfl-files-to-dismiss-jon-gruden-lawsuit-reveals-former-coach-sent-offensive-correspondences-to-at-least-6-people/AJd7CFkNVQkW/">wrote</a> according to The Athletic.
On October 8, The Wall Street Journal published a report detailing a 2011 email from Gruden to Bruce Allen, then the president of the Washington Redskins. In the email, Gruden used racially insensitive language to describe the executive director of the NFL Players Association, DeMaurice Smith.
“Dumboriss Smith has lips the size of michellin tires,” Gruden <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/jon-gruden-email-demaurice-smith-11633721045">wrote</a>, according to the Journal.
Gruden apologized for the email, but on October 11, The New York Times published a report that included additional emails from Gruden where he was found to have used a gay slur along with misogynistic language.
As reported by the Times, Gruden sent emails while he was working as an analyst for “Monday Night Football” to Allen and others regarding women referees in the NFL, homosexual players being drafted, and the topic of players protesting the national anthem.
According to the report, Gruden called NFL commissioner Roger Goodell a “fa****” and a “clueless anti football p****.” Goodell appeared to be the subject of many emails, with Gruden using homophobic language when referring to the commissioner.
The emails were sent between 2011-2018 and included criticism of Goodell for his attempt to reduce concussions in the game of football, which Gruden reportedly felt was discouraging parents from allowing their children to play the game of football.
According to the Times, Gruden also felt that Goodell and the NFL should not have pressured the Rams to draft “queers,” a reference to Michael Sam.
Gruden reportedly felt that Eric Reid — a player known for kneeling during the National Anthem — should lose his job, and sent emails containing pictures of women dressed only in bikini bottoms.
Later in the day on October 11th, Gruden resigned as head coach of the Raiders.
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to sports@dailywire.com.

NFL Asks Nevada Court To Dismiss Jon Gruden’s Lawsuit

The Jon Gruden saga had faded away in the news following the October resignation of the former Las Vegas Raiders head coach. Gruden resigned from his position after the discovery of emails he sent over a period of seven years while he was working as an analyst for ESPN on “Monday Night Football.”
The emails were discovered during the NFL’s investigation of workplace misconduct in the Washington Football Team’s organization and contained racially insensitive language, as well as the use of a gay slur.
Now, Gruden is suing the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell, accusing them of leaking the emails with the intention of forcing him out of his head coaching position with the Raiders.
&#8220;The complaint alleges that the defendants selectively leaked Gruden&#8217;s private correspondence to the Wall Street Journal and New York Times in order to harm Gruden&#8217;s reputation and force him out of his job,&#8221; Gruden’s attorney Adam Hosmer-Henner <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32615059/jon-gruden-suing-nfl-roger-goodell-saying-forced-las-vegas-raiders-job">said</a>. &#8220;There is no explanation or justification for why Gruden&#8217;s emails were the only ones made public out of the 650,000 emails collected in the NFL&#8217;s investigation of the Washington Football Team or for why the emails were held for months before being released in the middle of the Raiders&#8217; season.&#8221;
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Statement below from Jon Gruden’s attorney, Adam Hosmer-Henner, who filed the complaint Thursday in Clark County, Nevada court. Gruden is seeking damages on seven claims, as well as punitive damages and attorneys’ fees. <a href="https://t.co/FsRocrutd2">pic.twitter.com/FsRocrutd2</a>
&mdash; Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomPelissero/status/1459254082036801542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy denied the allegations in a statement.
&#8220;The allegations are entirely meritless and the NFL will vigorously defend against these claims,&#8221; McCarthy <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/12/sport/jon-gruden-nfl-lawsuit-spt/index.html">said</a>.
On October 8, The Wall Street Journal published a report detailing a 2011 email from Gruden to Bruce Allen, then the president of the Washington Redskins. In the email, Gruden used racially insensitive language to describe the executive director of the NFL Players Association, DeMaurice Smith.
“Dumboriss Smith has lips the size of michellin tires,” Gruden <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/jon-gruden-email-demaurice-smith-11633721045">wrote</a>, according to the WSJ.
Gruden apologized for the email, but on October 11, The New York Times published a report that included additional emails from Gruden where he was found to have used a gay slur along with misogynistic language.
As reported by the Times, Gruden sent emails while he was working as an analyst for “Monday Night Football” to Allen and others regarding women referees in the NFL, homosexual players being drafted, and the topic of players protesting the national anthem.
Later in the day on October 11th, Gruden resigned as head coach of the Raiders.
“I have resigned as Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders,” Gruden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jon-gruden-resigns-as-raiders-head-coach-after-additional-emails-emerge">said</a> in a statement put out by the Raiders. “I love the Raiders and do not want to be a distraction. Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation. I’m sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone.”
The NFL has come under pressure to release the remainder of the emails from the Washington Football Team investigation, including by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, which sent a letter to Goodell requesting all documents from the investigation.
“The NFL has one of the most prominent platforms in America, and its decisions can have national implications,” the committee said in <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/Final%202021-10-21.CBM%20RK%20to%20Goodell-NFL%20re%20WFT%20Investigation.pdf">the letter</a>. “The NFL’s lack of transparency about the problems it recently uncovered raises questions about the seriousness with which it has addressed bigotry, racism, sexism, and homophobia—setting troubling precedent for other workplaces.”
“The committee is seeking to fully understand this workplace conduct and the league’s response, which will help inform legislative efforts to address toxic work environments and workplace investigation processes; strengthen protections for women in the workplace; and address the use of non-disclosure agreements to prevent the disclosure of unlawful employment practices, including sexual harassment. We hope and trust that the NFL shares the committee’s goal of protecting American workers from harassment and discrimination.”
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to sports@dailywire.com.

Jon Gruden Sues NFL, Roger Goodell

The NFL will add social justice phrases to end zones in the 2020 season, mirroring activism engaged in by the NBA and other pro sports leagues.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the new initiative in a Tuesday conference call, saying that the league would paint the phrases “end racism” and “it takes all of us” in the end zones for each game, according to <a href="https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/09/01/nfl-will-write-end-racism-and-it-takes-all-of-us-in-end-zones/">ProFootballTalk</a>.
“The NFL stands with the black community, the players, clubs and fans confronting systemic racism. We will not relent in our work,” Goodell said.
The pro-football league has made a large push to embrace social justice in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May. Floyd, a black man, died after an arresting police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/medical-examiner-concluded-george-floyd-likely-died-of-fentanyl-overdose-court-docs-reveal">Hennepin County medical examiner</a> found a potentially lethal cocktail of fentanyl and methamphetamines in Floyd’s system during autopsy. Four former Minneapolis Police Department officers have been charged with crimes relating to Floyd’s death.
Floyd’s death set off a massive wave of unrest, sparking protests and riots across major American cities costing local governments and businesses tens of millions of dollars in damages. The recent shooting of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kenosha-police-union-offers-new-details-on-jacob-blakes-alleged-actions-attacked-police-tried-to-steal-car-was-armed">Jacob Blake</a>, who is also black, set off another round of protests centered in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Blake was shot seven times in the back by a Kenosha police officer after officers responded to a domestic disturbance report. Blake had an active warrant out for his arrest for a rape allegation. An officer shot Blake, who was armed with a knife, after he escaped police and attempted to get into a vehicle that did not belong to him and had children in the back, according to police. After one bullet severed Blake’s spine, he is unlikely to ever walk again, Blake’s attorney has said.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/baltimore-ravens-racism-is-embedded-in-the-fabric-of-our-nations-foundation">Baltimore Ravens</a> released a statement last week condemning Blake’s shooting as an act of “racial discrimination” and calling on elected officials to pass police reform.
“With yet another example of racial discrimination with the shooting of Jacob Blake, and the unlawful abuse of peaceful protestors, we MUST unify as a society. It is imperative that all people — regardless of race, religion, creed or belief — come together to say, ‘Enough is Enough,’” the Ravens said.
“This is bigger than sports. Racism is embedded in the fabric of our nation’s foundation and is a blemish on our country’s history,” the statement continued. “If we are to change course and make our world a better place, we must face this problem head-on and act now to enact positive change.”
Since the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nba-to-paint-black-lives-matter-on-sides-of-disney-courts-allow-players-to-put-social-justice-messages-on-jerseys">NBA</a> moved to the Disney World “bubble” amid the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the pro basketball league has played each game with the phrase “Black Lives Matter” etched across each sideline. The NBA has also allowed players to wear jersey’s with pre-approved phrases written where their names would otherwise be.

NFL Will Call To ‘End Racism’ In Giant End Zone Messages

Jacob Blake

As the NBA faces a drop in ratings amid the woke signaling during the games, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that the league will be supporting players planning to protest this upcoming season.
Speaking with <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/02/nfls-roger-goodell-on-backlash-to-player-protests-over-racial-justice.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CNBC</a>, Goodell said that the NFL platform will be a platform to highlight issues embroiling America, emphasizing that he and others in charge of the league have been &#8220;evolving&#8221; throughout the past few months.
&#8220;I would tell you that all of us, hopefully, are evolving and learning—we should be—and we all should realize that we have to do more,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I&#8217;m proud of what our league has done. I said it several months ago that we should&#8217;ve listened to our players earlier and been able to understand the things that were going on in our communities. We&#8217;re seeing that play out on television sets across the country. They have been happening in our communities for years—decades—and we have to end it.&#8221;
&#8220;Our clubs over the last couple years, and our players, have worked really closely together to try and make that difference in the community, to make the change, [to] make sure that the work we&#8217;re doing is actually leading to change,&#8221; he added. &#8220;And that&#8217;s the important thing for our players.&#8221;
Goodell suggested that the frustration and the sadness many people feel stems from the fact that the NFL has not done enough to be a force for change.
&#8220;When you see the frustration, the sadness, the anger—we all feel that because we&#8217;re not reaching the change that we all want,&#8221; he said. &#8220;So that&#8217;s what our commitment is. We&#8217;ve been talking with our players association over the last several months. I expect that we’ll have some announcements further on that level also &#8230; more steps we&#8217;re going to take. Because we all have to do more.&#8221;
When pressed on whether or not the NFL will suffer bad ratings and if the league is prepared to deal with that fallout, Goodell seemed to indicate that he doesn’t think viewership will be a problem.
&#8220;Our ratings have really been the envy of every entertainment and sports property. We have the broadest audience; we have the best partners in all of television and media. We feel that ratings always go up and down for a variety of reasons,&#8221; he said.
&#8220;We’re supporting our players, we recognize the issues &#8230; going on in our communities. That&#8217;s a platform that we want to use to make change, and we&#8217;re going to do that. We’re going to stand behind our players,&#8221; he concluded.
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9OoxTxYsAmU" width="720" height="385" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen">﻿</iframe>
At the height of the Black Lives Matter protests earlier this summer, Goodell issued an apology for &#8220;not listening&#8221; to his players.
“It has been a difficult time for our country, in particular black people in our country,” Goodell said. “First, my condolences to the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and all the families who have endured police brutality.”
“We, the National Football League condemn racism and the systematic oppression of black people,” he continued. “We, the National Football League admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier, and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the National Football League believe black lives matter.”
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nfls-goodell-we-were-wrong-for-not-listening-black-lives-matter">NFL’s Goodell: ‘We Were Wrong For Not Listening,’ ‘Black Lives Matter’</a>

Super Bowl LIV – San Francisco 49ers v Kansas City Chiefs

Roger Goodell: NFL To ‘Stand Behind’ Players On Activism

Black Lives Matter

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell offered a pseudo-apology to Colin Kaepernick on Monday for not engaging more with the former pro-football quarterback about kneeling for the anthem during the 2016-2017 season.
Goodell made the comments on an episode of former NFL player Emmanuel Acho’s online show “Uncomfortable Conversations With A Black Man.” Acho said that Goodell put out a “valuable message” in June when the commissioner claimed that the league had been wrong on its stance on kneeling for the national anthem before games.
“You can’t understate how valuable the message you put out a couple months ago was. At least as a former player, a black man in society, that message it resonated with me, it spoke to me,” Acho said. “You said you listened, you heard, you learned. You even apologized to so many, but in the midst of all that there wasn’t a specific message or apology to the catalyst for it all, Kaepernick, who you mentioned.&#8221;
“If you were to publicly express your remorse, apologize to Kaepernick, what would you say?” Acho asked.
Goodell avoiding giving any direct apology, initially expressing that he should have “listened earlier” but also asserting that the league gave <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/colin-kaepernick-signs-deal-with-disney-espn-to-make-docu-series-about-his-own-life-social-justice-films">Kaepernick</a> multiple chances to talk about his reasons for protesting the national anthem, which offended many NFL players and fans at the time, with Goodell and others.
“Well, the first thing I’d say is I wish we had listened earlier, Kaep, to what you were kneeling about and what you were trying to bring attention to,” Goodell said. “We had invited him in several times to have the conversation, to have the dialogue. I wish we had had the benefit of that. We never did. And, you know, we would have benefitted from that, absolutely.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man: The National Anthem Protest- PT. 1
NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, &amp; I discuss Colin Kaepernick &amp; the protests during the national anthem that polarized America. <a href="https://t.co/PcL02732ys">pic.twitter.com/PcL02732ys</a>
&mdash; Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmmanuelAcho/status/1297669953215246345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/following-goodell-apology-appeal-multiple-teams-reportedly-interested-in-kaepernick">Kaepernick</a> kicked off a wave of controversy when he began kneeling and sitting for the national anthem before NFL games. At the time, he told <a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/colin-kaepernick-explains-why-he-sat-during-national-anthem-0ap3000000691077">NFL Media</a> in August 2016 that he was protesting during the anthem because “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. … To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
Controversy surrounding Kaepernick’s protest built, and Goodell eventually sent a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AdamSchefter/posts/1646218148764153">letter</a> to team owners and executives in October 2017 stating, “We believe that everyone should stand for the National Anthem. It is an important moment in our game. We want to honor our flag and our country, and our fans expect that of us. We also care deeply about our players and respect their opinions and concerns about critical social issues.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nfls-goodell-we-were-wrong-for-not-listening-black-lives-matter">Goodell retracted that letter</a> and said he was wrong about protesting the anthem in a video published on the NFL’s official Twitter account on June 5 of this year.
“We, the National Football League condemn racism and the systematic oppression of black people,” Goodell said. “We, the National Football League admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier, and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the National Football League believe black lives matter.”

Colin Kaepernick

Roger Goodell Offers Backhanded Apology To Colin Kaepernick: ‘We Had Invited Him In Several Times’

National Anthem

Amid protests and riots sweeping the nation following the tragic death of George Floyd, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell issued an apology heard &#8217;round the sports world, and while he didn&#8217;t specifically name quarterback-turned-social justice activist Colin Kaepernick, Goodell would soon make quite clear that his message was partly directed to him, openly welcoming Kaepernick to work in some capacity with the league. New reports say that &#8220;multiple teams&#8221; now have a &#8220;legitimate interest&#8221; in giving Kaepernick yet another opportunity to make it back on the field.
&#8220;We, the National Football League admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier, and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest,&#8221; Goodell said in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nfls-goodell-we-were-wrong-for-not-listening-black-lives-matter">video statement</a> posted June 5. &#8220;We, the National Football League believe black lives matter.&#8221;
A few days later, Goodell addressed the question of Kaepernick returning to the league. &#8220;Well, listen, if he wants to resume his career in the NFL, then obviously it’s going to take a team to make that decision,” Goodell <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29315784/encourage-team-sign-colin-kaepernick">said</a> during a June 15 interview with ESPN. &#8220;But I welcome that, support a club making that decision and encourage them to do that.&#8221;
Even if Kaepernick doesn&#8217;t want to play again, added Goodell, the league &#8220;welcome[s] him to that table and to help us, guide us, help us make better decisions about the kinds of things that need to be done in the communities.&#8221;
According to the NFL Network&#8217;s Michael Silver, &#8220;at least a couple of teams&#8221; are now interested in Kaepernick. &#8220;I have talked to one head coach who is absolutely interested,&#8221; <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/michael-silver-assesses-potential-timeline-171842830.html">said</a> Silver.
As reported by <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/multiple-teams-interested-in-colin-kaepernick-could-set-up-workouts-closer-to-training-camp-per/">CBS Sports</a>, Silver says that any holdups from teams are not about the former QB&#8217;s polarizing protest of the national anthem, but the need to see if he can really perform, which requires getting him in for some work outs, which has been made difficult due to the COVID-19 fears.
In November, Kaepernick famously skipped a special workout arranged by the NFL, his camp accusing the NFL of trying to force him to sign an overly restrictive waiver and not allowing him to bring his own camera crew. An insider report published by ESPN on what many believed to be the final nail on Kaepernick&#8217;s NFL coffin later indicated that the NFL appeared to be &#8220;legitimately&#8221; giving Kaepernick a shot to get back on the field with the skipped workout, but deep-seated <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nfl-insiders-kaepernick-tryout-needlessly-derailed-by-his-camps-distrust-of-league">“distrust” and “resentment”</a> among Kaepernick&#8217;s camp ultimately derailed his potential return.
Kaepernick spent the entirety of his final season in the NFL protesting the national anthem. He began the protest during preseason while he was the second-string quarterback with San Francisco behind middling starter Blaine Gabbert. &#8220;I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/colin-kaepernick">told</a> a reporter at the time. After a Gabbert injury got Kaepernick back in the action, he continued his pattern of struggling on the field. The 49ers would end the season with a 2-14 record, and after Kaepernick opted for free agency, he quickly found himself out of the league.
During that final season, Kaepernick was perpetually embroiled in controversy for a number of widely reported actions and statements, including <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kaepernick-called-out-reporter-shirt-praising-james-barrett">praising</a> brutal communist dictator Fidel Castro, sporting socks <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/colin-kaepernicks-practice-socks-pig-cops-hat-james-barrett">portraying police as pigs</a>, and getting into public feuds with various political figures. Among his controversial statements, Kaepernick has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/colin-kaepernick-blasts-racist-american-terrorist-attacks-in-apparent-reference-to-iran">claimed</a> that the United States has conducted &#8220;American terrorist attacks against Black and Brown people for the expansion of American imperialism,&#8221; a comment that came after U.S. forces killed Qassem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, a designated terrorist organization.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-nfl-veteran-blasts-nfl-courting-kaepernick-were-looking-at-affirmative-action-for-a-marxist">Former NFL Veteran Blasts NFL Courting Kaepernick: ‘We’re Looking At Affirmative Action For A Marxist’</a>
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Kaepernick Mural

After Goodell Apology, Appeal, Multiple Teams ‘Absolutely Interested’ In Kaepernick

Former NFL safety Burgess Owens, who played 10 years in the NFL and is now running for Congress in Utah, expressed his disgust with the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell after Goodell recently started pushing for the league to make a place for former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, snapping to <a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/jets/news/ny-jets-burgess-owens-wont-stand-for-colin-kaepernick">Sports Illustrated</a>, “If Goodell allows Kaepernick to come back, if they allow players to kneel during the national anthem, I’m willing to not watch the game.”
Owens, who is black, supports President Trump’s opposition to players kneeling for the national anthem.
Owens stated of Kaepernick, “If it was a meritocracy he would be out there anyway; he would work hard; he would prove himself. He wouldn’t be taking someone else’s position. We’re looking at Affirmative Action for a Marxist. We’re approving their ideology.”
“If we’re going that route, we should also ask Tim Tebow to come back,” he continued, adding, “It doesn’t matter how long he’s been out of the game. It doesn’t matter his talent. He was a Christian who kneeled in prayer and was a positive on his team. The reason why Tim Tebow, as talented as he was with the Denver Broncos — the NFL didn’t like his essence. They thought he was too distracting … too distracting to his team and the organization.&#8221;
Owens blasted, “Meanwhile we’re willing to have the distraction of a Marxist, a Castro, brother-loving Marxist to come back and play that many Americans don’t want to see him play. I just find it very disappointing. The NFL lost 15 percent of their audience last time, maybe a little bit more. The goal has been to increase their base, their revenue by going overseas to places like China, Mexico and England. They don’t care enough about their fans who love this country.”
Owens targeted those who take a knee for the national anthem, asserting:
<blockquote>We have too many Americans now accepting the notion that the flag should be a place where people should be ashamed of or take a knee, that’s what it comes down to. I am disappointed that so many people are acquiescingtoday. They don’t understand the American way; they don’t understand the price paid. They need to understand that we can’t be bullied and [also] that we’re not an evil country. There is no other country in the world with the mixing of races and tolerance. We have to change the current narrative.</blockquote>
On <a href="http://burgessowens.com/index.php/component/sppagebuilder/?view=page&amp;id=52">his website</a>, Owens provides a series of statements about what he believes including:
<blockquote>I believe that a country is no better than its people and its people are no better than their dreams—tthat the ability to dream, to hope and to envision the possibilities is among the greatest and most precious gifts.  Living in the freest country in the world we owe it to our Creator to &#8220;Dream Big.”  It&#8217;s a free gift from God to bless all His children.
I believe that success is a matter of choice not chance.  As we chose to control our attitude, we begin to control our actions.  As we chose to control our actions, we begin to form habits. As we chose to control our habits, we begin to define our character.  As we chose to define our character, we begin to choose our destiny and our happiness.  Success is a matter of choice not chance.  It’s your choice.</blockquote>
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.