Raiders fans weigh in on Jon Gruden’s controversial comments

Longtime Raiders fan Darrell Carter didn’t mince any words Sunday when discussing the demeaning language coach Jon Gruden used in 2011 in an e-mail to describe DeMaurice Smith, who is Black and the executive director of the NFL Players Association.

“I though it was actually deplorable and inexcusable by coach Gruden,” said Carter, 59, a Las Vegan who has cheered the Raiders for more than 30 years. “Coach Gruden needs to make amends for that, and he needs to explain himself, not only to the Raiders’organization and the NFL, but more so to his players and more so to the fans.”

After a 20-9 loss to the Bears, Gruden said, “I am not a racist. I can’t tell you how sick I am. I apologize again to D Smith. But I feel good about who I am and what I’ve done my entire life. I apologize for the insensitive remarks. I had no racial intentions with those remarks at all.

“I’m not like that all. I don’t want to keep addressing it.”

Fans at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday offered differing opinions about Gruden and his comments. Carter said “your integrity is based on who you are when nobody is looking. And at that particular time, nobody was looking in terms of an email. … Here we are 10 years later. The integrity factor is what’s more important.”

Carter didn’t call for Gruden to be suspended or for his employment to be terminated. But he did say that Gruden should apologize publicly to the fan base.

Conversely, Bay Area native and fellow Raiders fan Jayme Sanks said “cancel culture is a thing now and people need to be held accountable for what they said.” But she doesn’t believe Gruden made his comments in a racist or malicious way.

“He was just talking crap,” said the 44-year-old, who attended a Raiders game Sunday for the first time since 2003. ”It was just like, going at the person’s features. Not because of the race. Everyone says something about people. … I don’t take it personal.”

Sanks credited Gruden for acknowledging the email: “He didn’t deny it. It’s saying something right there. I don’t think he has a racist bone his body.” She said Gruden shouldn’t be suspended and noted that he wasn’t coaching at the time he sent the email.

“I don’t want to lose my coach,” Sanks said.

Timoteo Sanchez ventured from Moreno Valley, California, to Allegiant Stadium on Sunday and said he’s “never one to judge” because he’s said several things that he’s regretted.

“I understand what he said was insensitive at the time. It may have not been as insensitive as it is now, in the day and age we live now with cancel culture and everything. If he apologizes in any way for what he said, I’m fine with that,” Sanchez said.

“Me, personally, I won’t hold anything against anybody, what they said in the past. We’re all guilty,” he added. “He has to hold himself to a higher standard. But not all of us are perfect. He made a mistake. As long as he owns up to it, I’m cool with it.”

Sanchez said a suspension would be too harsh of a penalty for Gruden but indicated that he wouldn’t be surprised if some sort of discipline was levied.

“The league is the league,” said Sanchez, 47. “What’s the motive of digging (through) something that far back? The purpose is to smear him. To slander the organization. When people have those type of motives, I always question where it’s coming from.”

Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.