Jon Gruden Is Un-Canceled After Bucs Ring Of Honor Welcomes Back Super Bowl Coach

Jon Gruden will rejoin the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ring of Honor, after being dropped in 2021 when leaked emails exposed his "racist, homophobic, and misogynistic" language. He was inducted in 2017. 

Gruden's emails, from 2010 to 2018, surfaced during an NFL probe into the then-Washington Football Team, sparking outrage from a politically correct league at the time.

Jon Gruden, who won the Bucs’ first Super Bowl in 2003 at SB XXXVII, returns to the Ring.

The Buccaneers released a statement on Thursday: "Jon Gruden was initially inducted into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor based on his many accomplishments during his seven seasons as our head coach, and he remains a significant figure in the history of our franchise.

"Upon further reflection, we have decided to reinstate him into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor."

READ: Chiefs Cast Aside Narrative Jon Gruden Is Racist, Homophobe, Sexist And Show Him Love

Gruden reacted to the news on X: "Many thanks to the Glazer family. So many of my best memories!"

Tampa Bay faced pushback for taking Gruden out of the Ring of Honor. Gruden has long been an NFL fan favorite, compounded by his memorable ESPN tenure leading Monday Night Football. He was in his second stint as head coach of the Raiders when the email scandal surfaced, prompting Gruden to part ways with the franchise mid-season to shield the team from further controversy.

Some fans claim Roger Goodell leaked them to punish Gruden for voicing criticisms concerning the NFL commissioner.

Fans also slammed the Bucs for failing to implement a proper ‘double standard’ among members of their Ring of Honor.

ATLANTA - Head coach Jon Gruden of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on against the Atlanta Falcons during their game on September 17, 2006 at the Georgia Dome. (Photo By Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Famed defensive tackle Warren Sapp stayed in the Ring despite a 2015 prostitution and assault scandal, completing a counseling program per the AP, while Gruden was quickly dropped after his email controversy. Sapp dodged charges by completing the program.

Gruden’s controversial language, while offensive, falls dramatically short of criminal conduct — not even close.

By welcoming back Gruden, the Bucs mended that mistake.

The NFL has opened its arms to Gruden in recent years. OutKick's Armando Salguero reported on Andy Reid's glowing words for the formerly ostracized coach in 2024 and how the KC coach argued for Gruden to get another shot at coaching in the NFL.

"Yeah, listen, he advises a lot of people so he's staying busy," Reid said when asked if he's planning to hire Gruden as a consultant (via Salguero). "The grass isn't growing under his feet, man, he's rolling. I think he's just going to keep doing that. 

"Hopefully, he's able to get back in and get a head coaching job. A phenomenal football coach. He touched everybody here, both sides of the ball, special teams, he got to sit down in those meetings. Just a heck of a coach."

Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela