In 2011, Jon Gruden, who is the coach for the Las Vegas Raiders allegedly used racist remarks for the executive director of NFL Players Associations, DeMaurice Smith, comparing his lips to the “size of Michelin tires”. Gruden worked as the analyst for ESPN at that time but said that he used to employ the term “rubber lips” to indicate that a person is lying too much rather than a racial insult. NFL condemned the language used in the Email, calling it “abhorrent”.
Jon Gruden
I'm ashamed I insulted De Smith/ 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.
Brain McCarthy, NFL Spokesman
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.
