During his time at Oregon, Jevon Holland, now a safety for the Dolphins, emerged as a vocal advocate for positive change within his community, drawing both support and criticism. According to his father, Robert, in a recent interview on the DolphinsTalk.com podcast, Jevon faced scrutiny reminiscent of Colin Kaepernick before the 2021 NFL Draft. Robert recounted an incident during the offseason when the Raiders, through numerous Zoom calls, expressed consistent interest in Jevon. However, one interaction with Jon Gruden raised eyebrows.
Robert Holland described how Gruden, during one of these calls, asked Jevon if he planned to adopt the name Malcolm X upon entering the league. Jevon, handling the situation with composure, declined the suggestion, asserting his commitment to using his platform for positive advocacy. He indicated that if his values did not align with the organization, perhaps he shouldn’t be part of it, and then ended the call.
Ultimately, the Raiders selected Alex Leatherwood with their pick, while Holland was drafted by the Dolphins at No. 36. Later in the year, Gruden faced repercussions when emails exchanged during his tenure at ESPN were leaked, leading to his departure from the Raiders. While the revelation of Gruden’s question to Jevon Holland may not come as a surprise given the context of those leaked emails, it sheds light on the complexities surrounding social activism in the NFL.
