By Eddy Fortuna

Former Legendary Super Bowl winning Head coach Jon Gruden, formerly of the Raiders, and then head coach of the NFL, said racial slurs in emails he wrote, directed to NFL players Associate Chief DeMaurice Smith. Gruden at the time was working as a TV pundit and says he can not specifically recall writing the email but apologized for using that type of language.

“The email from Jon Gruden denigrating DeMaurice Smith is appalling, abhorrent and wholly contrary to the NFLs values,” said the NFL head, Roger Goodell. He continued, “We condemn the statement and regret any harm that its publication may inflict on Mr.Smith or anyone else.”

The email came to the NFLs attention during a review of workplace misconduct at the Washington Football (formerly the Redskins) that was going on during the summer.

The league was informed of these racially insensitve emails and raised issues for an investigation. Though at the time of printing the source and complaint is unknown. Gruden’s comments in the emails were sent to American Football League President Bruce Allen during the 2011 lockout of the players by the NFL. Gruden told the newspapers that he was angry about the lockout during labor negotiations and he did not trust the direction the union was taking.

“Over the past few months, senior NFL executives reviewed the content of more than 650,000 emails, including this email which was sent to a club employee,” the NFL representative said in a statement.

DeMaurice Smith responded to the emails, saying “Racism like this comes from the fact that I’m at the same table as they are and they don’t think someone who looks like me belongs. I’m sorry my family has to see something like this but I would rather they know. I will not let it define me.”

Smith will remain as the NFLs Players Association executive director for one more term, which will be his last, after the union’s Board of Player Representatives voted to retain him on Friday.

Jon Gruden is suing the NFL because these emails were sent privately and were released without his knowledge.

Unfortunately, these issues have come to the attention of everyone, and a question of how far racism goes in the National Football League is in everyone’s minds.