'Despicable' photos uncovered in ugly NFL email scandal
The fallout from the NFL's emails scandal is threatening to engulf the league as pressure mounts for a full release of information regarding the investigation into the Washington Football Team.
The NFL is coming under renewed pressure to release the full findings of the investigation into the Washington Football Team, having already announced the outcome of the probe back in July.
NFL WEEK 5: Top moments you might have missed
'RUINING HER LIFE': Woman's ugly truth amid NFL video scandal
The league didn't disclose any details of the investigation, nor even commission a report from the lawyer they tasked with investigating the team's culture.
Renewed attention has been placed upon the investigation after the New York Times obtained some of the 650,000 emails and messages collected by the NFL as part of their investigation.
That leak of information has already resulted in the resignation of now Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden who, while employed as an analyst for ESPN several years ago, exchanged emails referring to league bosses by homophobic slurs, in addition to other racist language.
According to the Daily Beast, topless images of cheerleaders sourced from a previous photoshoot were shared between then Washington general manager Bruce Allen and Gruden.
Washington cheerleaders had already complained about the conduct of the organisation before the investigation was launched, which resulted in legal action being taken against team owner Dan Snyder.
Cheerleaders are now calling for the full details of the investigation to be made public after the latest allegations of images of them being misused.
Story includes detail that Gruden, former WFT exec Bruce Allen and other men exchanged emails with photos of topless women, including one that included team cheerleaders. https://t.co/GZb4ODu9Tv
— Judy Battista (@judybattista) October 12, 2021
"It's despicable, really, to see that there is more evidence of exploitation and violation of these cheerleaders who I worked very closely with," Melanie Colburn said, a cheerleader of four years with Washington who also acted as the cheer team's marketing director.
Fellow cheerleader Candass Correll said it was troubling that the secondary allegations involving Gruden only came to light thanks to the New York Times report.
"If it wasn't for (the New York Times article) we would've never known that those pictures were going through the mail servers between these two really important people in the NFL," she said.
Jon Gruden out as Raiders coach after NFL emails scandal
A couple weeks ago, Jon Gruden was finally paying off for the Las Vegas Raiders. His team was 3-0. That 10-year, $100 million contract didn't seem so bad.
Nobody could have ever guessed that two weeks later, Gruden would be done as Raiders head coach because of emails spanning 10 years revealed ugly racist, anti-gay and misogynistic comments.
On Monday night, less than an hour after a New York Times report that Gruden had sent emails that contained disturbing comments, Gruden resigned.
In a statement, Gruden said:
“I have resigned as Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. I love the Raiders and do not want to be a distraction. Thank you to all the players, coaches, staff, and fans of Raider Nation. I’m sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone.”
In a statement of his own, Vegas owner Mark Davis said he accepted Gruden's resignation.
Raiders assistant Rich Bisaccia will be the interim head coach, according to ESPN reporter Suzy Kolber.
The New York Times story came after last week's revelation that Gruden had sent an email containing racist comments regarding NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith.
Gruden said he wasn't racist. But then on Monday, The New York Times reported that other emails Gruden sent, which were also unearthed as part of the WFT investigation, said Gruden used anti-gay slurs.
He referred to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell as a "fa****t" and a "clueless anti football p****y."
Gruden said in an email that Goodell shouldn't have pressured then-St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher to draft "queers," a reference to Michael Sam.
Sam was the first openly gay player drafted by the NFL in 2014.
The New York Times report also said Gruden, in emails, criticised the hiring of women as referees and also the acceptance of players protesting for racial justice during the national anthem.
The Times said Gruden also exchanged photos of topless women with Allen, including one of WFT's cheerleaders.
With Yahoo Sports US
Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.
