Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden won’t be welcomed back to the organization any time soon.
Gruden, 58, just resigned as the head man of the Las Vegas Raiders earlier in the week after a string of emails displayed the Super Bowl winner as homophobic and misogynistic.
In responding to this earth-shattering scandal, the Buccaneers released a statement on Tuesday indicating that they have removed Jon Gruden from their “Ring of Honor.” The organization did not mince words, either.
“The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have advocated for purposeful change in the areas of race relations, gender equality, diversity and inclusion for many years,” the team said in a statement. “While we acknowledge Jon Gruden’s contributions on the field, his actions go against our core values as an organization. Therefore, he will no longer continue to be a member of the Buccaneers Ring of Honor.”
Gruden joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ahead of the 2002 season after a trade from the then-Oakland Raiders. He went on to lead Tampa to a Super Bowl title in his first season, posting a 12-4 record in the process. That 2002 iteration of the Buccaneers is said to have boasted one of the best defenses in modern NFL history.
All said, Jon Gruden spent seven seasons in Tampa — posting a 57-55 record with three playoff appearances and that one title.
