Gruden to Raiders rookies after London loss: ‘Don’t forget this’
LONDON — In a colorfully lit locker room at Wembley Stadium late Sunday night, following the Raiders’ 27-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, head coach Jon Gruden said he sought to deliver a message to the team’s rookie players.
“I told the rookies after the game, ‘Don’t forget this,’” Gruden said. “Just because you’re in the league doesn’t mean it’s going to be a pleasant experience. You can get your butt kicked in this league.”
The Raiders have relied heavily on first-year players this season, due to both positional needs and injuries. If the Raiders’ 1-4 start hadn’t already illustrated Gruden’s point, Sunday’s sound defeat before a crowd of 85,000 fans seemed to hammer it home.