TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers say they’re reinstating former coach Jon Gruden into the team’s ring of honor less than four years after removing him over his use of racist, homophobic and misogynistic language in emails he wrote to an NFL executive.
“Jon Gruden was initially inducted into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor based on his many accomplishments during his seven seasons as our head coach and he remains a significant figure in the history of our franchise,” the team said in a statement Thursday. “Upon further reflection, we have decided to reinstate him into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor.”
Gruden was inducted into the Bucs’ ring of honor in 2017 and was removed four years later amid the email scandal, which also led to his resignation as the Las Vegas Raiders head coach five games into the 2021 season.
Gruden’s comments were in emails written from 2011-18 to then-Washington club executive Bruce Allen. Gruden was not in the NFL during those years, when he was an analyst for ESPN. His emails were collected by independent investigators during an investigation of sexual harassment allegations and other workplace conditions at what was at the time known as the Washington Football Team.
Gruden coached the Buccaneers from 2002-2008, leading them to their first Super Bowl triumph in his first season in Tampa. He was 60-57 altogether in seven seasons with the Buccaneers, including 3-2 in the playoffs.
He was 62-60 with the Raiders, whom he coached from 1998-2001 and again from 2018-21.
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