LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jon Gruden’s lawsuit against the NFL moved closer to trial on Thursday when the Nevada Supreme Court unanimously denied the league’s petition to rehear a recent decision.
“We’re obviously pleased with the court’s decision,” Gruden’s attorney, Adam Hosmer-Henner, told The Associated Press by email.
The NFL, which could appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, declined to comment.
Gruden resigned as coach of the Las Vegas Raiders in October 2021 after the publication of emails he sent years earlier that included racist, misogynistic and homophobic language. A month later, he sued the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell, alleging a “malicious and orchestrated campaign” to destroy his career by leaking the emails.
In Thursday’s 7-0 ruling, the Nevada Supreme Court denied the league’s earlier appeal of its ruling on Aug. 11 that Gruden can proceed with his lawsuit and not go through the league for arbitration.
In 2022, the NFL appealed to Nevada’s high court after a judge in Las Vegas rejected league bids to dismiss Gruden’s claim outright or to order out-of-court talks through an arbitration process that could be overseen by Goodell.
The high court, in a 5-2 ruling, said that “the arbitration clause in the NFL Constitution is unconscionable and does not apply to Gruden as a former employee.”
Gruden was an on-air analyst at ESPN from 2011-18 when the emails were sent.
He was the Raiders’ coach when the team moved in 2020 to Las Vegas from Oakland, California. He’s seeking monetary damages, saying that selective disclosure of the emails and their publication by the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times ruined his career and endorsement contracts.
Gruden coached the Raiders in Oakland from 1998 to 2001, then led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for seven years, winning a Super Bowl title in 2003. He spent several years as a TV analyst for ESPN before being hired by the Raiders in 2018.
He later consulted for the New Orleans Saints in 2023. He is now a part owner and consultant for the Nashville Kats of the Arena Football One league.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
-
The Shaq of the bobsled track makes his Olympic debut for Canada
He was named after two basketball stars, with his father hoping he would end up following in their footsteps. In a way, he has.
Michael Jordan’s Daytona 500 ring: Tyler Reddick delivers NASCAR’s biggest win
Tyler Reddick won the Daytona 500 in a car owned by Michael Jordan when Chase Elliott crashed as he and Reddick were battling for the win.
Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak moving quickly in filling out staff
New Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak is moving fast to shape his staff, tapping Rob Leonard to run the defense.
NBA's Adam Silver to consider changing draft lottery, revoking picks to stop teams from tanking
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver believes teams are tanking more aggressively this season than the league has ever seen before, and he is considering many possible remedies to ensure real competition, from taking away draft picks to making wholesale changes to the draft and the lottery
