Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden’s racist remarks from 2011 have come back to haunt him. The Wall Street Journal revealed on Friday that Gruden sent an email to then-Washington Football Team president Bruce Allen during the 2011 lockout in which he used a few derogatory remarks to describe NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith, who is Black.
“Dumboriss Smith has lips the size of michellin tires,” Gruden wrote in the e-mail.
NFL Hall of Famer Moss addressed Gruden’s remarks on “Sunday NFL Countdown” and wasn’t shy about asking what the NFL was going to do about the comments.
“We’re going into the 21st century, OK? And instead of us moving forward, we’re moving backward. And I really don’t know what percentage of the National Football League is Black but I know it’s over 50 percent, 60-70 percent. And I know we generate a whole lotta money for this National Football League and for you to hear Adam Schefter talk about some discipline from [Raiders’ owner Mark] Davis, the clock is ticking! We are watching to see what the National Football League is going to do!” Ross said.
The topic got Moss fired up as he continued with his emotional response.
“I speak about the game of football. I fell in love with the game of football at six years old, and I get emotional talking about it because of situations like this. My civil rights were taken — were kind of messed with in high school, over the color of my skin. And now being able to play 14 years in the National Football League, to have something like this of a leader — we talk about leadership, we give guys these big contracts because they want to be able to lead 70 men, coaches, equipment staff and managers, to the number one goal, and that’s to win a championship. And for us to be moving back and not forward in the 21st century like I said, man. National Football League, this hurts me. The clock is ticking, man. I’m sorry,” he said.
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