Former NFL OL Ryan O'Callaghan Talks Jon Gruden's Resignation After Emails Surfaced

Former NFL offensive lineman Ryan O'Callaghan has spoken out against the language used by former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden in a series of emails from 2010-18 that were leaked in a New York Times report Monday. 

Speaking to Scott Gleeson of USA Today, O'Callaghan, who is gay, addressed Gruden's use of anti-gay slurs in the emails:

"It doesn't matter when he said the f-word or used (homophobic) slurs, it's never OK. My hope is that he's educated himself since then to know better. But part of it isn't surprising. I used to hear 'no homo' type comments in the NFL and slurs in locker rooms growing up. If we dug through other (coaches') trash, it'd be interesting to see what we'd find." "

Per the New York Times' Ken Belson and Katherine Rosman, the NFL discovered emails Gruden sent to various coworkers and associates in which he used several anti-gay, anti-trans, misogynistic and racial slurs as part of the league's investigation into a separate situation involving workplace misconduct allegations against the Washington Football Team. 

"He denounced the emergence of women as referees, the drafting of a gay player and the tolerance of players protesting during the playing of the national anthem, according to emails reviewed by The Times," Belson and Rosman wrote.

Gruden referred to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell with an anti-gay slur and denounced the St. Louis Rams' decision to select Michael Sam in the 2014 NFL draft after he came out as gay. 

O'Callaghan said hearing a person use those derogatory terms "makes you look at someone differently."

"If you're gay and closeted like I was, you question yourself and if you feel safe," he added. "You're not going to feel good about yourself or them."

In a statement released by the Raiders on Tuesday night, Gruden announced his resignation. 

"Gruden is an older guy, and a lot of homophobia is generational—it's coming from people's parents' impressions," O'Callaghan told Gleeson. "The more you humanize, the less homophobia there is. But the more homophobia is happening behind closed doors, then the fear for someone to come out is going to stay."

O'Callaghan came out as gay in a 2017 interview with Cyd Zeigler of Outsports. His playing career ended after the 2010 season. 

The New England Patriots selected O'Callaghan in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL draft. He spent three seasons with the organization before being released in September 2009. 

O'Callghan played two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2009-10.