Raiders coach Jon Gruden: I’m not a racist

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LAS VEGAS Raiders coach Jon Gruden apologized on Sunday for a 2011 email discovered by the Wall Street Journal in which he used a racist trope to describe the lips of the NFLPA executive director , DeMaurice Smiths.

I’m not a racist, Gruden said in a brief press conference after losing 20-9 to the Bears. I can’t tell you how sick I am. I apologize again to De Smith. I had no racial intent with these remarks. I’m not like that at all. I apologize. I don’t want to continue to approach it.

Raiders players said Gruden met the team before the story was released and told them about the emails, which also included Gruden not training and then ripping Commissioner Roger Goodell during the lockdown.

I’ve been around this guy for three years. He’s never rubbed me in a certain way, that kind of way, said running back Josh Jacobs. I definitely trust him. It was 10 years ago. People are growing up.

Quarterback Derek Carr said he and his teammates told Gruden they were backing him.

He told us, Men, learn from my mistake, Carr said.

The controversy had nothing to do with the Raiders’ downfall on Sunday, Jacobs said.

The past two weeks have been flat, starting early in the game, he said.

Injuries

Starting right tackle Germain Ifedi injured his knee in the second quarter and did not return. He was replaced by Elijah Wilkinson. The Bears like Wilkinson better on the right side than the left side, but losing Ifedi would be a blow to a slim unit.

Second-round pick Teven Jenkins is on the injured list after having back surgery. Larry Borom too, who injured his ankle in the first match. He’s eligible to come back healthy every time.

In the fourth quarter, the Bears ruled out outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu with a chest injury. Inside linebacker Caleb Johnson injured his knee covering the kickoff in the second quarter and did not return.

Noisy crowd

Visiting Las Vegas for the first time to watch the team, Bears fans may have occupied 40% of Allegiant Stadium.

I’m not used to playing away games where you have a crowd that can compete with the home crowd, said tight end Jesper Horsted, who caught a touchdown in the second quarter. And especially for this match, they made so much noise, which really disrupts the opposing offense. And you have seen a lot of penalties that are caused just because of that.

Coach Matt Nagy often talks about Bears fans who travel in droves.

Corn [Sunday] he felt it had an impact, he said.

BS

The bears inside linebacker Roquan Smith disagreed with the flag he received for unnecessary roughness after hitting wide receiver Willie Snead in the end zone in the second and base in the fourth quarter.

I thought it was BS, he says. I was like, useless? … I’m going to have to think about it again, but I don’t think I put my helmet in there. I think I put my shoulder on.

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