NFL commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed that there are no plans to replace Bad Bunny as the halftime performer at Super Bowl LX in February.
Goodell made his first statement on the matter as backlash against the Puerto Rican performer, who only performs songs in Spanish and has expressed anti-ICE sentiments, has grown in recent weeks. A <a href="https://ew.com/petition-replace-bad-bunny-with-george-strait-super-bowl-halftime-show-passes-50000-signatures-11833542">petition</a> to replace Bad Bunny (real name Benito Ocasio) with country performer George Strait earned more than 50,000 signatures.
“It’s carefully thought through,” Goodell said of the performance, per <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/bad-bunnys-super-bowl-halftime-show-reconsidered-nfl-126764247">ABC News</a>. “I’m not sure we’ve ever selected an artist where we didn’t have some blowback or criticism. It’s pretty hard to do when you have literally hundreds of millions of people that are watching.”
“We’re confident it’s going to be a great show,” the commissioner added. “[Ocasio] understands the platform that he’s on, and I think it’s going to be exciting and a united moment.”
“He’s one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world,” Goodell said of Bad Bunny’s global appeal. “That’s what we try to achieve. It’s an important stage for us. It’s an important element to the entertainment value.&#8221;
The artist’s selection, which was made in conjunction with Jay-Z’s company Roc Nation, was controversial because of his past anti-ICE statements, including his refusal to schedule any tour stops in the United States due to alleged fears about his fans being taken into ICE custody at his shows.
“…There was the issue of — like, f***ing ICE could be outside (my concert). And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about,” Bad Bunny said, referring to ICE agents as “motherf***ers” and “sons of bitches.”
Ocasio also addressed the backlash he and the NFL received about none of his songs being English, advising viewers to learn Spanish if they didn’t like it.
Earlier this month, Turning Point USA <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/turning-point-usa-announces-bad-bunny-free-all-american-halftime-show-to-rival-nfls">announced</a> that they would be hosting an alternative All-American Halftime Show at the same time as the Super Bowl halftime show.

Bad Bunny

NFL Commish Gives Update On Bad Bunny Super Bowl Halftime Show Amid Backlash

NFL Commish Confirms They're Not Replacing Bad Bunny For Super Bowl, Despite Backlash

Football

Music

Roger Goodell

Super Bowl

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday that law enforcement believed that the gunman who shot and killed four people and injured another on Monday at a New York City office building might have been targeting the National Football League. 
Adams <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/07/29/nyregion/nyc-shooting-manhattan">said</a> that investigators “have reason to believe” that the gunman who attacked the 345 Park Avenue office tower in Manhattan was “focused on the NFL.” The NFL is headquartered in the building, and one of its employees was wounded during the incident. 
Adams said that the shooter had attempted to go to the floor where the NFL was located, but instead went to the 33rd floor, where Rudin, a property management company, is based. 
A three-page note was found in the wallet of the gunman, who died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, claiming that he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy. CTE is a degenerative brain condition often associated with football players caused by frequent head trauma. 
The Daily Wire is not publishing the gunman&#8217;s name due to a company policy against contributing to the unintentional glorification of mass shooters.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a Monday press conference that the shooter, who played high school football, had a history of mental health issues. 
“Terry Long football gave me CTE and it caused me to drink a gallon of antifreeze,” the gunman wrote in a note, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/29/us-news/nyc-gunman-shane-tamura-reportedly-found-with-note-hinting-at-possible-motive-for-park-ave-skyscraper-shooting-sources/">according</a> to the New York Post. Long was a former player for the Pittsburgh Steelers <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2307003">who</a> committed suicide by drinking antifreeze after a history of brain injuries. 
“You can’t go against the NFL, they’ll squash you,” the gunman  reportedly wrote, adding, “Study my brain please I’m sorry Tell Rick I’m sorry for everything.”
Alluding to the note, Adams said that “it appears as though he was going after the employees of the NFL.”
“We’re still going through the suicide note to zero in on the exact reason but at this time it appears as if it’s something attached to his belief he experienced CTE from the NFL,” he added. 
The NFL employee who was injured during the attack is currently in the hospital, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/45848952/nfl-employee-seriously-injured-deadly-shooting-tower-housing-league-hq">said</a>. 
&#8220;As has been widely reported, a gunman committed an unspeakable act of violence in our building at 345 Park Avenue. One of our employees was seriously injured in this attack,&#8221; Goodell said. &#8220;He is currently in the hospital and in stable condition. NFL staff are at the hospital and we are supporting his family.
Two other victims killed in the attack have been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nypd-officer-among-two-victims-identified-in-deadly-nyc-mass-shooting">identified</a> as 36-year-old NYPD officer Didarul Islam and Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he had been briefed on the shooting and offered his condolences. 
“I have been briefed on the tragic shooting that took place in Manhattan, a place that I know and love,” he posted on Truth Social. “I trust our Law Enforcement Agencies to get to the bottom of why this crazed lunatic committed such a senseless act of violence. My heart is with the families of the four people who were killed, including the NYPD Officer, who made the ultimate sacrifice. God Bless the New York Police Department, and God Bless New York!”

US-NEWS-NYC-SHOOTING-19-NY

Investigators ‘Have Reason To Believe’ NYC Mass Shooter Intended To Target NFL, Mayor Says

Cop-Killer

Crime

Eric Adams

Manhattan

Mass Shooting

New York

New York City

U.S.

President Donald Trump and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced on Monday that the 2027 NFL draft would be held at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., as the nation&#8217;s capital prepares for the Washington Commanders, formerly Redskins, to return to the district.
The National Mall is home to iconic American monuments and memorials. Trump was joined by Goodell, D.C. Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser, Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum for the announcement in the Oval Office.
&#8220;The draft is a celebration of one of our country&#8217;s most cherished cultural institutions and the annual highlight for football fans everywhere,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;Everyone in the world is going to be watching.&#8221;
&#8220;Not only are these announcements great for the NFL, but they also advance the mission of making Washington D.C. safe and clean and beautiful,&#8221; the president added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Not only are these announcements great for the NFL, but they also advance the mission of making Washington D.C. safe and clean and beautiful. We&#39;re working very closely with the Mayor &#8212; and we&#39;ve made a lot of improvements in the last few months&#8230; Crime is way down.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Yt0BUcG6v2">pic.twitter.com/Yt0BUcG6v2</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1919449512378089557?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Goodell said that he believes the draft in D.C. will draw more than one million people over three days, adding, &#8220;The draft has become one of the great entertainment and sports events.&#8221;
&#8220;It will not just be an event. It will be something that will show the world how far the nation&#8217;s capital has come and where it&#8217;s going,&#8221; the NFL commissioner said.
For decades, the NFL draft was held at different venues in New York City, but beginning in 2015, the league allowed cities to bid on hosting the draft, an event that now draws hundreds of thousands of people. Last year, Detroit <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2025/04/25/2025-nfl-draft-attendance-round-1-green-bay-detroit/83250827007/#:~:text=Green%20Bay%20hosted%20approximately%20205%2C000,during%20the%20three%2Dday%20event." target="_blank" rel="noopener">set the record</a> with 775,000 people coming to the three-day event, <a href="https://detroitsports.org/news/2024/7/11/general-visit-detroit-and-the-detroit-sports-commission-announce-record-setting-2024-nfl-draft-generated-213-6-million-in-economic-impact.aspx#:~:text=%22Visit%20Detroit%20and%20the%20Detroit,Co%2DChair%20of%20the%20Detroit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">generating</a> more than $200 million for the city&#8217;s economy. The 2025 draft in Green Bay last month drew an estimated 600,000 fans.
Professional football is making a comeback in the nation&#8217;s capital as the Commanders will return to playing within the district&#8217;s borders in 2030. The team is also led by Jayden Daniels, an exciting young quarterback who took Washington to the NFC championship game last season. The team appears poised to be a serious contender for years to come. Last week, the Commanders, alongside D.C. Mayor Bowser, announced the construction of new domed stadium in the district, built on the site of Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, where the Redskins played for 36 seasons before moving to Prince George&#8217;s County, Maryland, in the late 1990s.
Trump previously <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/trump-touts-commanders-stadium-deal-hopes-lead-less-crime-dc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> the new stadium deal a &#8220;HUGE WIN for Washington, D.C., and for the Team’s incredible fan base.&#8221;
&#8220;It will also boost Economic Development, create more Jobs and, hopefully, lead to less Crime in the area,&#8221; he added. &#8220;We are making Washington, D.C., GREAT AGAIN, one step at a time!&#8221;

NFL Draft announcement

Trump Joins NFL Commish To Announce Iconic Location For 2027 Draft

Donald Trump

Executive

General

Washington D.C.

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.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&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

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>. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
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

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.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
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>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
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>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
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;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
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>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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.
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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

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