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Former Raiders coach Jon Gruden secures major win in NFL lawsuit. What to know
Former Raiders coach Jon Gruden secured a major win on Monday, August 11, with regards to his lawsuit against NFL and its commissioner, Roger Goodell.
Former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden secured a major win on Monday, August 11, with regards to his lawsuit against the NFL and its commissioner, Roger Goodell, for allegedly leaking confidential emails that cost him his job. In its latest ruling, the Nevada Supreme Court blocked the case from going to arbitration.
Nevada Supreme Court’s ruling
The Nevada Supreme Court’s Monday ruling decreed that the Bylaws’ arbitration clause “does not apply to Gruden as a former employee and is unconscionable”, as reported by CBS Sports.
“In their 5-2 ruling, justices did not determine whether or not the league had leaked Gruden's emails, but they found that the league's decision to force his complaint into arbitration proceedings overseen by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell -- the target of Gruden's civil lawsuit -- was "unconscionable,” explains Don Van Natta Jr of ESPN.
"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," said Adam Hosmer-Henner of McDonald Carano LLP, attorneys for Jon Gruden, as reported by ESPN. "This victory further vindicates Coach Gruden's reputation, and it clears the way to swiftly bringing him full justice and holding the NFL accountable."
What is the lawsuit about?
The spat first came to light following the 2011 reveal by The Wall Street Journal of an email exchange between Gruden and then Washington team president Bruce Allen, where he used racist slurs in reference to then-NFLPA president DeMaurice Smith. Gruden, however, was not an NFL employee at the time of sending the mail but was ultimately forced to resign from the Raiders in November 2021 as a result of this.
He then filed a lawsuit for what he considered a "malicious and orchestrated campaign" that "sought to destroy [his] career and reputation". Although this claim has still not been proven in court, the latest ruling declares that the NFL’s arbitration process in this matter was unfair.
"The NFL Constitution would allow Goodell, as Commissioner, to arbitrate disputes about his own conduct -- exactly what is at issue here," the decision reads. "The ability of the stronger party to select a biased arbitrator is unconscionable, even if the stronger party may ultimately choose a neutral arbitrator."
In order to appeal against the Nevada court decision, the NFL will now have to go to the US Supreme Court. The league has not shared any official comment on the matter.
– With inputs from By Stuti Gupta
