NFL apparently faces a lawsuit from former Raiders coach Jon Gruden, as Nevada court reportedly removed obstacles in his legal pursuit against the league following the release of controversial emails.
In a significant development, Jon Gruden's lawsuit against the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell has been granted the green light to proceed in a public court. The Nevada Supreme Court, in a 5-2 decision on August 11, 2025, ruled that the NFL's arbitration clause does not apply to Gruden as a former employee and declared it unconscionable, thwarting the league's attempt to force the case into private arbitration [1][2].
Gruden's lawsuit alleges that the NFL and Goodell orchestrated a malicious campaign by leaking his private emails, which led to his resignation from the Raiders and significantly damaged his reputation [1]. The NFL has denied these claims, labelling them as baseless and placing the blame for the email content squarely on Gruden [1].
The Raiders, coached by Gruden from 1998 to 2001 and again from 2018 until his resignation in October 2021, moved to Las Vegas in 2020 during his tenure as head coach. Prior to his time with the Raiders, Gruden spent several years as a TV analyst for ESPN before returning to coach the team in 2018. He is currently a part-owner and consultant for the Nashville Kats, a team in the Arena Football One league [3].
Notably, the NFL has announced its intention to appeal the Nevada Supreme Court's decision [5]. The lawsuit remains active, with Gruden reportedly more focused on defending his reputation than seeking a settlement, although a potential settlement remains a possibility [3].
It is important to note that the arbitration process proposed by the NFL could have been overseen by Commissioner Goodell himself. Gruden spent seven years leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, culminating in a Super Bowl title in 2003 [4].
As of the provided information, Gruden's attorney has not returned a phone message seeking comment [3]. The NFL declined to comment on the ruling [2].
[1] https://www.espn.com/nfl/story//id/34091596/john-gruden-sues-nfl-roger-goodell-malicious-orchestrated-campaign [2] https://www.si.com/nfl/raiders/news/jon-gruden-lawsuit-nfl-roger-goodell-wins-appeal-to-proceed-in-public-court [3] https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/washington-football/jon-gruden-lawsuit-against-nfl-roger-goodell-allows-to-proceed-publicly [4] https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/11/sport/jon-gruden-raiders-resigns-spt-intl/index.html [5] https://www.espn.com/nfl/story//id/34115780/jon-gruden-lawsuit-nfl-roger-goodell-allowed-proceed-publicly-nevada-supreme-court-rules
- The Nevada Supreme Court's decision allows Jon Gruden's lawsuit against the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell to proceed in a public court, overruling the NFL's attempt to force the case into private arbitration.
- The lawsuit, which alleges a malicious campaign by the NFL and Goodell that led to Gruden's resignation from the Raiders, is currently active, with Gruden focused on defending his reputation.
- Notably, the NFL has announced its intention to appeal the Nevada Supreme Court's decision, indicating a potential future court battle.
- The Raiders, coached by Gruden from 1998 to 2001 and again from 2018 until his resignation in October 2021, are a professional American football team based in Las Vegas.
- Prior to his time with the Raiders, Gruden spent several years as a TV analyst for ESPN before returning to coach the team in 2018, and he is currently a part-owner and consultant for the Nashville Kats, a team in the Arena Football One league.
- Gruden spent seven years leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, culminating in a Super Bowl title in 2003, a significant achievement in the sports world of American football.
