Jon Gruden has resigned as Las Vegas Raiders head coach, after further allegations of inappropriate emails.
On Tuesday (NZ time), The New York Times reported the existence of emails that included homophobic or misogynistic terms.
That news followed a Saturday report from the Wall Street Journal that Gruden used racist language in a 2011 email, when describing the appearance of NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith. Gruden apologised, but said he didn't remember writing the email.
"I have resigned as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders," Gruden says. "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."
He reportedly told team owner Mark Davis of his decision to step down in a face-to-face meeting. Davis confirmed he had accepted Gruden's resignation.
Raiders assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia will replace Gruden as head coach on an interim basis.
The Times reported that the NFL, in the midst of an unrelated investigation, flagged many emails written by Gruden. He allegedly used disparaging terms, while expressing opposition to women serving as NFL referees, the league drafting or including gay players, and the player protests, while the national anthem is played pre-game.
Gruden also allegedly used foul terms to describe NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, including an anti-gay slur, and used a different anti-gay slur while writing about Michael Sam, the first openly gay player drafted by an NFL team. In 2014, Sam was selected by the St Louis Rams in the seventh round, but never played a regular-season game in the league.
The offending emails were written during a stretch when Gruden was working for ESPN as an NFL commentator.
"The comments are clearly repugnant under any circumstance," ESPN says.
The Raiders currently employ the only active openly gay NFL player - defensive end Carl Nassib - who has 1.5 sacks in five games this year.
In 2018, Gruden, 58, signed a 10-year, $US100 million ($NZ144m) deal to return to coaching with the Raiders.
The Raiders are off to a 3-2 start, leaving Gruden 22-31 in his second stint as the team's head coach. He was 38-26 in the regular season while coaching the then-Oakland Raiders from 1998-2001 and he posted a 57-55 regular-season mark with the Buccaneers from 2002-08, leading Tampa Bay to a Super Bowl championship after the 2002 season.
Reuters
