Gruden's emails were uncovered as part of a workplace misconduct investigation into former Washington president Bruce Allen. In 2011, Gruden, who ESPN employed at the time, appeared to use a racist trope to describe former NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith.

Gruden alleges that a “malicious and orchestrated campaign” was used to destroy his career by leaking old emails he had sent that included racist, misogynistic and homophobic comments.