Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden will get his day in court after being handed a huge victory by the Nevada Supreme Court in his battle against the NFL.
Gruden, 61, stepped away from the league in 2021 after he was shown to have used racist and homophobic language in leaked emails.
In the aftermath, he launched a lawsuit against the NFL and its commissioner Roger Goodell, in which he accused the league of leaking those emails ‘through a malicious and orchestrated campaign’, adding that Goodell sought to destroy his reputation and career.
He alleged in his complaint that he was ‘forced to resign’, and he has since been open in his desires to return to the world of coaching in some capacity in the future.
Monday’s decision by the Nevada Supreme Court ensures that Gruden’s lawsuit against the league cannot be forced behind closed doors into arbitration.
In a 5-2 decision, the court sided with Gruden and found that the arbitration clause in the NFL’s rulebook is ‘unconscionable’ because it would allow Goodell to arbitrate disputes over his own conduct.
Jon Gruden speaks to the media while visiting the Detroit Lions’ training camp last month
‘We’re very pleased with the Nevada Supreme Court’s decision, not just for Coach Gruden but for all employees facing an employer’s unfair arbitration process,’ the ex-Raiders coach’s attorney Adam Hosmer-Henner said in a statement.
‘This victory further vindicates Coach Gruden’s reputation, and it clears the way to swiftly bringing him full justice and holding the NFL accountable.’
The NFL can still appeal Monday’s decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, but it is unclear whether league officials plan to do so.
The NFL did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Gruden ventured down a new career path back in November after signing a multi-year contract with Barstool Sports – but he has also claimed he is keen to return to coaching.
According to The Detroit Free Press, on Monday, Gruden told reporters: ‘Hopefully I’m not done. I’m about to make a comeback.
Gruden still harbors hope of returning to coaching and has now scored a win in his legal battle
‘I’m working hard to maybe get one more shot, but hopefully some of these guys that fell off my branch, if you say it that way, maybe they can hire me cause I’m looking for a job. I don’t care if I coach at Jones Junior High. I’m going to coach again.
‘I’m still coaching. I’m just not on a team officially, but I do have some private assignments I work on and I wear some gear when I’m watching the games that nobody knows about who I’m pulling for.’
Gruden has also visited various NFL training camps over the past few weeks, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions.
Back in 2021, Gruden resigned as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders after The New York Times reported that he frequently used misogynistic and homophobic language directed at Goodell and others in the NFL.
The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, reported that Gruden used a racist term to describe NFL union chief DeMaurice Smith in a 2011 email to former Washington executive Bruce Allen.
The emails also showed him complaining about the drafting of a gay player and tolerance for those protesting racism by kneeling during the national anthem.
However, despite the controversy surrounding Gruden, the Buccaneers reinstated him to the team’s Ring of Honor back in February.
Gruden claims NFL commissioner Roger Goodell forced him to resign from the Raiders in 2021
‘Jon Gruden was initially inducted into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor based on his many accomplishments during his seven seasons as head coach and he remains a significant figure in the history of our franchise,’ the team said.
‘Upon further reflection, we have decided to reinstate him into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor.’
NFL commissioner Goodell and former Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder had been accused of leaking Gruden’s racist, homophobic emails that led to his dismissal as Raiders head coach in 2021.
NBC’s Peter King, a veteran NFL reporter, previously wrote that ‘several smart people in the league think the leaks come from the Snyder camp’ and that reporting had been matched by the Washington Post.
