Jon Gruden is out as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, but there is still much to be discussed between the franchise and its former coach. Having resigned abruptly following leaked emails that showed Gruden used racist, homophobic and misogynistic language spanning several years in conversations with former Washington Football Team executive Bruce Allen, the Raiders anointed special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia as interim head coach and are trying desperately to refocus on football and snapping their current losing streak, but owner Mark Davis must multitask and figure out what to do with the remaining salary owed to his former head coach.
Gruden, who signed a 10-year, $100 million contract to join the Raiders in 2018, leaves with six years left on his deal and is reportedly still owed $40 million by Davis, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, and the two sides are working toward a settlement.
Of course, this is made all the more interesting by another previous comment made by Gruden that, while far less incendiary than the ones unearthed in 2021, gives Davis some interesting leverage in severance talks — should he attempt to use it against Gruden. In 2018, when Gruden took the position, he made a guarantee that weighs infinitely more now than it did when he said it.
“If I can’t get it done, I’m not going to take their money,” Gruden told USA TODAY after accepting the position.
While there’s a myriad of ways to interpret what “get it done” might mean — e.g., improving upon the franchise’s losing ways and/or making the playoffs and/or winning the Super Bowl — no one can argue he ultimately did the opposite of whatever he might’ve meant, disgracing both himself and the organization in the process. But, again, Davis would have to be willing to hold him to this comment to the letter, which remains to be seen.
Otherwise, Gruden will likely walk away with an undisclosed sum in the tens of millions, and despite leaving a black eye on the face of the organization.
