People are wondering about the meaning of rubber lips after Jon Gruden’s email became public. Let us look at it.
Jon Gruden is a football coach who now serves as the National Football League’s Las Vegas Raiders (NFL) head coach. During the Raiders’ time in Oakland, he was the team’s head coach from 1998 to 2001, and he returned in 2018.
Gruden was born in Sandusky, Ohio, on August 17, 1963. He comes from a Slovene family. Jim was his father, and he worked for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a regional scout, quarterbacks coach, and director of player personnel.
Jay is the name of his younger brother. He played and coached for the Tampa Bay Storm and Orlando Predators in the Arena Football League and was most recently the head coach of the Washington Redskins. Similarly, his other brother, James, works at Weill Cornell Medicine as a radiologist.
Rubber Lips Meaning From Urban Dictionary
The phrase ‘rubber lips’ appears to have multiple definitions.
The Urban Dictionary suggests, rubber lips mean “Accidentally mangle the pronunciation of a word due to verbal clumsiness. This results when you stumble over a word you can usually pronounce.
According to a second slang definition, the phrase refers to “someone with a distinctive shape to their lips.” Mick Jagger’s signature lip shape has earned him the moniker “rubber lips.”
However, many users on social media have speculated that the word is a racist slur, evoking old-fashioned remarks against the Black community.
The expression “rubber lips” resurfaced in the media, prompting a previous statement by football coach Jon Gruden.
Jon Gruden Controversy- “Rubber Lips” Statement
Raiders coach Jon Gruden told senior Athletic writer Vic Tafur that he used the expression “rubber lips.” He used the statement to allude to someone lying while addressing comments he made in an email in 2011 in which player DeMaurice Smith was described as having “lips the size of Michelin tires.”
In an email written to a team official on July 21, 2011, Gruden used anti-Black imagery to disparage NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith.
The NFL and its players were attempting to end a lockout when Gruden sent the email. The league owners imposed a work suspension that lasted from March 12, 2011, until July 25, 2011.
According to some reports, Gruden cited the lockout for upsetting him during his racist remarks. He said he did not trust the stance of the NFL players, who were led by Smith, in the negotiations.
Gruden has apologized for the wording of his 2011 email, and the NFL is reviewing the matter to see if any disciplinary action is needed.