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Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden was the beneficiary of a key ruling in his case against the league on Monday as the Nevada Supreme Court determined that his case could proceed in court instead of arbitration.
Gruden sued the NFL in 2021 after he parted ways with the Las Vegas Raiders when leaked emails revealed racist, sexist and homophobic language.
The former head coach and longtime football personality filed a lawsuit against the league and Commissioner Roger Goodell, alleging that a “malicious and orchestrated campaign” was used to destroy his career by leaking the emails. The leaked messages were from when he was an ESPN analyst and “Monday Night Football” broadcaster.
The NFL appealed to Nevada’s high court in 2022 after a judge in Las Vegas rejected the league’s bids to dismiss Gruden’s claim outright or to order the out-of-court talks through an arbitration process that could be overseen by Goodell.
On Monday, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled in a 5-2 decision that “the arbitration clause in the NFL Constitution is unconscionable and does not apply to Gruden as a former employee.”
The NFL declined to comment on the ruling, according to The Associated Press.
Gruden’s lawyers applauded the ruling in a statement to Pro Football Talk.
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“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,” Adam Hosmer-Henner of McDonald Carano LLP told the outlet. “This victory further vindicates Coach Gruden’s reputation, and it clears the way to swiftly bringing him full justice and holding the NFL accountable.”
Gruden was the head coach of the Raiders when the team moved from Oakland to Las Vegas. He is seeking monetary damages, alleging that the selective disclosure of the emails ruing his career and endorsement deals.
Since he left the Raiders, Gruden has worked his way back into the NFL unofficially. He’s been seen on the sidelines working with players from the New Orleans Saints and, most recently, the Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars. He’s also a part-owner and consultant for the Arena Football One League’s Nashville Kats.
He expressed hope for an NFL return in July when visiting the Lions.
“Hopefully I’m not done,” Gruden told reporters, via the Detroit Free Press. “I’m about to make a comeback. 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,” he added. “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.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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