Las Vegas Raiders

While the Las Vegas Raiders and the NFL are investigating head coach Jon Gruden's use of a racist trope when discussing NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith in a 2011 email, the team "made no immediate suggestion that his job status was in any jeopardy," according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.

Gruden was a broadcaster for ESPN 10 years ago when he sent the email.

The team is considering "numerous factors," including that the email came from a personal account and the head coach said he was not intentionally using a racist trope.

"Dumboriss Smith has lips the size of Michelin tires," Gruden wrote in an email to former Washington Football Team President Bruce Allen, per Andrew Beaton of the Wall Street Journal.

Gruden told ESPN's Paul Gutierrez he uses the phrase "rubber lips" to "refer to a guy I catch as lying ... he can't spit it out," but he also apologized for the remark.

"I'm ashamed I insulted De Smith," Gruden said. "I never had a racial thought when I used it. ... I'm embarrassed by what's out there. I certainly never meant for it to sound that bad."

Gutierrez also shared a statement from NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy, who said: "The email from Jon Gruden denigrating DeMaurice Smith is appalling, abhorrent and wholly contrary to the NFL's values. We condemn the statement and regret any harm that its publication may inflict on Mr. Smith or anyone else."

Raiders owner Mark Davis released a statement in which he called the email "disturbing and not what the Raiders stand for":

La Canfora cited multiple people close to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell who believed Gruden would not be fired or suspended. Instead, the expectation is he will be fined and told to undergo diversity and inclusion training.

The Raiders hired Gruden prior to the 2018 season on a 10-year, $100 million contract. He also coached the franchise from 1998 through 2001.

Las Vegas is 3-1 this season and faces the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

In July 2011, current Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden—then a color commentator for ESPN—sent an email to former Washington Football Team president Bruce Allen that used a racist trope to describe NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith. 

"Dumboriss Smith has lips the size of michellin tires," he wrote, per Andrew Beaton of The Wall Street Journal. 

The email was sent during a lockout by the players that summer. On the day Gruden sent the email, the NFLPA chose not to vote on a collective bargaining agreement ratified by the league's owners. 

"I'm really sorry," Gruden told Beaton regarding the email, telling him he didn't recall sending it.  

Gruden, 58, added that he was displeased with the direction that Smith had taken the NFLPA during the lockout and had used the term "rubber lips" to describe people he thought were liars in the past, though he added that his email went "too far."

"I was upset," he said. "I used a horrible way of explaining it."

"I don't think he's dumb. I don't think he's a liar," he added. "I don't have a racial bone in my body, and I've proven that for 58 years." 

On Friday, Smith, 57, commented on the email:

This is not the first racist comment that I've heard and it probably will not be the last. This is a thick skin job for someone with dark skin, just like it always has been for many people who look like me and work in corporate America. You know people are sometimes saying things behind your back that are racist just like you see people talk and write about you using thinly coded and racist language.

Racism like this comes from the fact that I'm at the same table as they are and they don't think someone who looks like me belongs. I'm sorry my family has to see something like this but I would rather they know. I will not let it define me.

The Raiders released the following statement:

The NFL—which uncovered the email during its investigation into the Washington Football Team's toxic workplace culture—is reviewing the situation for potential disciplinary action.

"The email from Jon Gruden denigrating DeMaurice Smith is appalling, abhorrent and wholly contrary to the NFL's values," the league said in a statement. "We condemn the statement and regret any harm that its publication may inflict on Mr. Smith or anyone else." 

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is not happy with Las Vegas Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa.

After the Chargers' 28-14 win on Monday night, Bosa told reporters that Carr folds under pressure, saying, "We knew once we hit him a few times, he really gets shook."

On Wednesday, Carr admitted that he was irked by Bosa's comments, but he indicated that those comments could serve as motivation.

"I just thought it was unfortunate that he'd even think to say it," Carr said. "Maybe he was just trying to get under my skin. Which, he did piss me off. So, good job for that. But that's not a bad thing, either."

Carr was sacked four times in Monday's loss. He entered the game as the NFL's leader in passing yards, but he was held to a season-low 196 yards with two TDs and an interception.

Carr admitted that he had exchanged words with Bosa throughout Monday's game, which might've led to the postgame comments.

"We've gone back and forth," Carr said. "He was probably mad because I was talking a lot of crap to him during the game. It was an emotional day for them."

The Raiders fell behind early and trailed 21-0 at halftime after being limited to 51 yards of offense. But Las Vegas turned things around by scoring 14 unanswered points in the third quarter. Carr engineered a potential game-tying drive early in the fourth quarter, but it came to an end when he was sacked by Christian Covington.

"You saw on [Christian Covington's] sack, he was pretty much curling into a ball before we even got back there," Bosa said on Monday.

Coming off the first loss of the season, Carr is instead choosing to look at the positives from Monday's loss. He said he saw the game differently from Bosa and was happy with how his team fought back from an early deficit.

"He's entitled to that opinion and saying those things. But it's almost like he watched the game in reverse," Carr said. "The game that I watched, we came out and fought a little bit after they got after us a little bit up front."

The Raiders will look to bounce back at home Sunday against the Chicago Bears.     

During Monday night's 28-14 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow made an incredible special teams play, sprinting from his returner spot to break up a fake punt throw with a huge hit on Tevaughn Campbell.

Renfrow bailed out his team in a big way, as the Raiders had just 10 men on the field:

The play should have gone for a first down, save for Renfrow's heroics, and head coach Jon Gruden was impressed.  

"One of the best plays I've ever seen," he said during his Tuesday press conference. "Effort, instincts, understanding the game, and making the play. This guy is an amazing football player. I wish we had four of those guys. He's something else."

Renfrow, 25, is having an excellent year as a receiver as well, with 22 catches for 249 yards and two scores. The Raiders got themselves a good one. 

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden expressed his displeasure with taunting calls after Monday's 28-14 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

"I don't understand the taunting. I hate taunting. I think it's ridiculous," Gruden told reporters after the game.

Raiders tight end Darren Waller caught a 21-yard pass for a third-down conversion in the second quarter, but the gain was mostly wiped out after he spiked the ball out of bounds. Las Vegas was penalized 15 yards for taunting and later punted.

"I think what happens after an interception or a touchdown, we allow these celebrations, I consider that taunting," Gruden said. "I don't understand what happened over there on the Chargers' sideline. But the official made the call, we have to deal with it. We couldn't get any momentum going. That didn't help us."

While taunting isn't a new rule, the league announced it as a point of emphasis this season and will strictly enforce it.

Per NFLPenalties.com, officials called 10 taunting penalties in 2020 but have whistled 13 through four weeks of the 2021 season. It has led to significant criticism among fans and players, and coaches are also speaking out when it affects their teams. 

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll complained about it in Week 2, saying the NFL "opened up a bit of a can of worms" with the new strategy.

The Waller penalty appeared egregious since he wasn't doing anything toward an opposing player, which has often prompted the flag this season. The spike was seemingly just excitement after the Raiders secured a first down for the first time in the game on their fifth possession.

The calls have created confusion, but it's clear the players will have to adjust. 

Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa had a simple explanation for his team's success against the Las Vegas Raiders and quarterback Derek Carr on Monday night.

Bosa told reporters it all came down to pressuring Carr:

"We knew once we hit him a few times, he really gets shook. And you saw on [Christian Covington's] sack, he was pretty much curling into a ball before we even got back there. Great dude, great player ... but we know once you get pressure on him, he kind of shuts down."

L.A. sacked Carr four times, forced him to fumble once and also picked him off once en route to a 28-14 victory.

Las Vegas got off to a slow start Monday, trailing 21-0 at halftime. Carr then orchestrated a comeback, as the Raiders scored 14 unanswered points and cut the deficit to seven.

The Raiders had an opportunity to drive for the tying score in the fourth quarter, but as Bosa mentioned, a Covington sack halted the drive.

Carr did appear to surrender before Covington got to him, resulting in a huge stop for the Chargers on 3rd-and-3. Vegas then missed a 52-yard field goal, and the Chargers took advantage by scoring a touchdown on the ensuing drive to re-establish a 14-point lead.

Las Vegas fell to 3-1 with the loss, while the Chargers improved to 3-1. There is now a three-way tie atop the AFC West with the Raiders, Chargers and Denver Broncos at 3-1, while the two-time defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs are last at 2-2.

A big reason for the Raiders' early-season success has been the play of Carr, who is completing 64.3 percent of his passes for an NFL-high 1,399 yards. He has also thrown two touchdown passes in each of his four games this season with three total interceptions.

Carr hasn't been named to the Pro Bowl since 2017, and the Raiders haven't reached the playoffs since 2016, but both of those droughts seem likely to end if Carr can maintain his level of play.

If Bosa is right about Carr's aversion to pressure, however, the veteran signal-caller could face a lot more of it as the season moves forward.

Josh Jacobs didn't exactly play Monday night hero for fantasy football managers looking for one final push to a Week 4 victory.

The Las Vegas running back averaged a paltry 3.1 yards per carry on his way to 40 rushing yards in his team's 28-14 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Los Angeles' defensive front deserves credit for quickly filling in any rushing gaps, although Jacobs at least provided some solace for those in points-per-reception leagues with five catches for 17 yards.

The 2020 Pro Bowler has been anything but dominant in the early going this season.

In fact, he is yet to run for more than 40 yards in either of his two games this year. While he gets something of a pass against the Chargers since he was dealing with an ankle injury after missing the last two contests, it is still alarming for fantasy football managers.

Those looking for silver linings can point to the fact Jacobs had 13 carries compared to just one for Kenyan Drake and one for Peyton Barber, although the latter exited with a foot injury.

Jacobs went from totaling 10 carries to Drake's six in the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens to a clear-cut advantage in Monday's loss. A healthy Barber may have changed the equation considering he was coming off 111 rushing yards against the Miami Dolphins, but Jacobs was the unquestioned go-to back in the latest game.

There is also a track record to trust.

The Alabama product went over 1,000 yards rushing in each of his first two seasons and still found the end zone twice in the win over the Ravens. Recent history suggests he will be a fantasy force at some point this year, especially once he is fully healthy and hitting his stride.

Jacobs is an auto-start for now, but the situation is at least worth monitoring.

The Raiders haven't hesitated to air it out with Derek Carr, and Barber could eat into his carry totals if the 27-year-old veteran is healthy. That lowers the overall ceiling for Jacobs, who has been missing the burst he showed last year at times.

He is still a fantasy starter at this point, but Jacobs looks more like an RB2 or RB3 than an RB1 this season.

Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman Carl Nassib said that before he chose to publicly come out as gay, he was concerned doing so might adversely affect or even ruin his NFL playing career. 

"I thought about it every once in a while. Thought about how I wanted to do it. When I could do it," Nassib said on Comeback Stories with Darren Waller and Donny Starkins (20:08 mark). "I didn't know how people would react. I wanted to make sure I was financially stable before I did it. I didn't know if it would ruin my career. I didn't know if guys would be supportive or not."

Nassib added that he didn't realize he was gay until about four years ago and early in his NFL career was more worried about establishing himself in the league and ensuring he had a future in football after being cut by the Cleveland Browns in 2018, a moment that made it onto Hard Knocks.

But Nassib said he ultimately felt a responsibility to his community to come out publicly, especially since so many before him paved a way to a more inclusive and accepting society. 

"When I decided to come out, it was not easy," he added (10:55 mark). "Personally, for my life, I didn't want to do it. But I felt a huge obligation to my community, to all the young kids out there who are struggling with their sexuality. If I could help just a few of them out, then I could sleep better at night.

Nassib, 28, is now in his second season with the Raiders. After notching 2.5 sacks in 14 games with the team last year, he's posted eight tackles, 1.5 sacks and two quarterback hits in the 2021 campaign. 

He is the first active NFL player to come out.