Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has secured a significant legal win against the NFL, as the Nevada Supreme Court ruled on Monday that his lawsuit over leaked emails can proceed in civil court rather than through arbitration.
In a 5-2 decision, the court sided with Gruden's argument that the NFL's arbitration process does not apply because he was not a league employee when he wrote the emails in question. The court also agreed that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell should not be allowed to appoint an arbitrator when he is a party to the dispute.
Gruden's attorney, Adam Hosmer-Henner, welcomed the ruling, stating: '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. 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 has not publicly responded to the ruling but could appeal to the US Supreme Court. Gruden's lawsuit alleges that the league maliciously leaked emails containing racist, homophobic and sexist language, which were sent during his time as an ESPN analyst in the 2010s. The emails were uncovered during a separate investigation into the Washington Football Team in 2021, leading to Gruden's resignation as Raiders head coach in October of that year.
