NFL appeals Nevada Supreme Court ruling allowing Jon Gruden’s lawsuit to proceed
The National Football League (NFL) is set to challenge the recent decision made by the Nevada Supreme Court regarding former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden’s lawsuit. The court ruled that Gruden can proceed with his lawsuit against the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell without going through arbitration.
The NFL will be appealing for a rehearing from the same court that overturned a previous ruling in May 2024, which stated that the matter should be resolved through arbitration. Despite this, Gruden was granted a hearing by the full court in October.
Gruden filed the lawsuit in 2021, alleging that the NFL and Goodell were involved in a deliberate effort to tarnish his reputation by leaking old emails containing racist, misogynistic, and homophobic comments. These actions ultimately led to his resignation from the Raiders in October 2021.
The NFL had initially attempted to dismiss Gruden’s claims or push for out-of-court negotiations through arbitration overseen by Goodell. However, the Nevada Supreme Court’s recent ruling deemed the arbitration clause in the NFL Constitution as unconscionable and not applicable to Gruden as a former employee.
Gruden, who previously served as an on-air analyst at ESPN from 2011-2018, is seeking monetary damages for the selective disclosure and publication of the emails by media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, which he believes damaged his career and endorsement opportunities.
Having coached the Raiders in Oakland and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he won a Super Bowl title in 2003, Gruden returned to the Raiders in 2018 before his resignation in 2021. He has since been involved with consulting for the New Orleans Saints in 2023 and is currently a part-owner and consultant for the Nashville Kats in the Arena Football One league.
The NFL’s appeal signifies a continued legal battle between Gruden and the league, with both parties seeking a resolution to the ongoing dispute. For more updates on NFL news, visit the official AP NFL website at https://apnews.com/hub/nfl.
