Tony Dungy clarifies stance on Jon Gruden, emails after Raiders coach resigns
Former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy is clarifying the comments he made about Jon Gruden on "Sunday Night Football." Gruden, who resigned as Las Vegas Raiders coach on Monday, used racist, homophobic and misogynistic language in a series of emails over a seven-year period.
On the "Sunday Night Football" telecast, Dungy said he thought it was time to accept Gruden's apology and "move on."
"What Jon Gruden did in that (racist) email — definitely insensitive, definitely inappropriate, definitely immature — I thought he attacked the character of a man," Dungy said Sunday. But he apologized for it. He said it wasn’t racially motivated. I have to believe him. I think this was an incident that was 10 years ago. He apologized. I think we need to accept that apology and move on."
Dungy tweeted on Tuesday morning, saying that his comments Sunday night were based on the assumption that Gruden's comments were an isolated incident.
On @SNFonNBC I commented on an e mail sent by Jon Gruden. I did not defend it. I said “inappropriate, immature, attack on a man’s character. Wrong!” I did not attribute it all to racism and said given a single incident 10 yrs ago we should accept his apology and move on.
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) October 12, 2021
He said that in light of the additional racially insensitive emails from Gruden that have surfaced, the Raiders did the right thing in parting ways with the coach.
Now more e mails have come. More inappropriate, immature, wrongful attacks on the character of people from all walks of life. I don’t defend those either and given the apparent pattern of behavior the Raiders did the appropriate thing in terminating Jon Gruden.
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) October 12, 2021
That being said, if Jon Gruden shows TRUE remorse-and more importantly changes his mindset and actions-I would forgive him. As Christians that’s what the Bible commands us to do because that’s what God does for us. I know that’s not popular but it’s biblical. pic.twitter.com/yrhFU3i7o7
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) October 12, 2021
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Tony Dungy clarifies stance on Jon Gruden, emails after coach resigns