Just over 24 hours ago, Jon Gruden resigned as the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders following a series of controversial emails.
Gruden reportedly sent misogynistic and derogatory emails – one of which focused on a specific player. According to a report from The Times, many of these emails were exchanged with Bruce Allen, the then-president of the Washington Football Team.
In one of the emails, Gruden decried the fact that the St. Louis Rams drafted former Missouri standout Michael Sam. “…Goodell should not have pressured Jeff Fisher, then the coach of the Rams, to draft ‘queers,’ a reference to Michael Sam, a gay player chosen by the team in 2014,” the report stated.
Well, Jeff Fisher – the one whose team drafted Sam – has responded. The former St. Louis Rams head coach sent a clear message about Michael Sam – who earned a spot on the roster.
“Michael Sam was the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2013, and we selected him in the 2014 NFL Draft based on his defensive production and pass rushing skill set on the field,” Fisher said in a statement.
Jumping on Twitter to clarify the below.
Hope everyone is doing good.😎👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/4bqFDUYSR6— Jeff Fisher (@CoachJeffFisher) October 13, 2021
“As a head coach for over 20 years, we drafted or didn’t draft, players based on a variety of qualities,” the statement continued. “Their sexual orientation would never – and should never – play a part in the decision-making process.”
“I continue to support Michael, and his decision to come out as the first daft eligible openly gay player in the league. It took courage to serve as a role model for those competitive football players who may also happen to be gay. Lastly, the NFL never encouraged or discouraged me regarding the selection of a potential prospect.”
Fisher wasn’t having it from Gruden.
Good for him.
The post Jeff Fisher Has Message For Jon Gruden After His Controversial Comment appeared first on The Spun.
Leave a Reply