Washington cheerleaders furious over topless photo leak in Jon Gruden scandal

Former NFL cheerleaders have responded with fury to allegations that inappropriate photos were secretly distributed by coaches via email.

LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 15: Washington Redskins cheerleaders perform during the first half of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at FedExField on December 15, 2019 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Former WFT cheerleaders are calling on the NFL to release the full results of its investigation into the team’s workplace culture — following allegations that inappropriate photos of squad members were secretly distributed by coaches via email.

The alleged photos were discovered in emails reported by the New York Times on Monday, which exposed Raiders head coach Jon Gruden for using racist, homophobic and misogynistic language. Gruden resigned from his position on Monday.

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According to WFT cheerleaders, who spoke with the Daily Beast on Tuesday, emails showing images of topless cheerleaders from a past swimsuit photoshoot video were allegedly passed around by Gruden to then-WFT general manager Bruce Allen.

Gruden, at the time, was a commentator for ESPN, and Allen had hired Gruden’s brother Jay to coach the team.

In the 10-minute video, first reported by the Washington Post in 2020, WFT staffers were allegedly instructed to take behind-the-scenes content at the swimsuit photoshoot, to package and create a video featuring only “the good bits” — reportedly of bare nipples and pubic areas while cheerleaders were changing clothes or moving around.

According to the outlet, the video was shared with WFT team owner Daniel Snyder, who later denied the allegations.

Washington Football Team cheerleaders performing during the pre-season NFL game against the Baltimore Ravens. Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

At the time, a number of cheerleaders came forward with complaints of inappropriate behaviour — and hit the franchise with lawsuits alleging a secret, uncensored video taken at a cheerleader photoshoot was distributed to team executives. The lawsuits were settled out of court.

The NFL’s investigation into the WFT’s culture and workplace initially concluded in July, resulting in a US$10 million (AUD$13.5 million) fine against the team. It was reopened this summer to review some of the 650,000 emails involved in the review — and that’s when the images came to light as part of the accusation that took down Gruden.

Melanie Coburn, a four-year WFT cheerleader and the squad’s marketing director for 10 years, created a petition on Friday, aimed at the NFL and WFT to “do the right thing for women” and “make Washington’s sexual misconduct investigation public.”

“It’s despicable, really, to see that there is more evidence of exploitation and violation of these cheerleaders who I worked very closely with,” Coburn told the Daily Beast, adding, “I know that there’s a lot more where these emails came from.”

On Tuesday, attorneys for 40 former WFT employees released a statement, calling for the NFL to release the full findings of its investigation.

Attorneys for the 40 former WFT employees have released a statement, calling for the NFL to release the full findings of its investigation. Photo by Lee Coleman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Candass Correll, a WFT cheerleader from 2016 until 2021, told the Daily Beast that cheerleaders still have not seen the investigation report or its results despite being “the actual victims” of the situation.

“If it wasn’t for (the New York Times article), we would’ve never known that those pictures were going through the mail servers between these two really important people in the NFL,” she said.

Lacy Thibodeaux-Fields, a former cheerleader for the Raiders, said the latest email scandal involving Gruden was further evidence of a “misogynistic, racist, very sexist culture.”

She too called for the release of the full investigation report.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission