TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have announced the reinstatement of Jon Gruden into the team’s ring of honor, reversing their decision from nearly four years ago. This change comes after Gruden was previously removed due to the revelation of offensive emails containing racist, homophobic, and misogynistic language addressed to an NFL executive.
In their statement on Thursday, the franchise expressed that Gruden was originally inducted into their ring of honor based on his substantial achievements during his tenure as head coach spanning seven seasons, asserting his importance in the team’s history. “Upon further reflection, we have decided to reinstate him into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor,” the Buccaneers declared.
Gruden first joined the Buccaneers’ ring of honor in 2017 but was removed four years later when the email controversy surfaced. This incident also resulted in him stepping down as the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders after just five games into the 2021 season.
The emails in question were sent by Gruden between 2011 and 2018 to Bruce Allen, who was an executive at the Washington team at that time. During these years, Gruden was not engaged with the NFL, working instead as an analyst for ESPN. These emails were discovered through an independent investigation examining sexual harassment claims and other workplace issues within the Washington Football Team.
During his stint with the Buccaneers from 2002 to 2008, Gruden led the team to their inaugural Super Bowl victory in his debut season. Over his seven seasons, he achieved an overall record of 60-57, including three wins and two losses in the playoffs.
With the Raiders, Gruden recorded a 62-60 record, having coached the team initially from 1998 to 2001, and returning from 2018 to 2021.
