Jon Gruden says he’s ready for the truth to come out in court — and he’s pointing the finger directly at NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the league itself.
On Tuesday, the former Las Vegas Raiders head coach released a statement to ESPN expressing his eagerness to prove that the NFL leaked a series of emails to the media in 2021, ultimately forcing his resignation.
“I’m looking forward to having the truth come out and I want to make sure what happened to me doesn’t happen to anyone else,” Gruden said.
Gruden maintains that the league’s actions blindsided him and derailed a promising season for the Raiders, who were 3-1 and leading the division at the time.
“The league’s actions disrupted the whole season,” he added. “We were leading the division at the time, and they completely blindsided me and the team… What happened wasn’t right and I’m glad the court didn’t let the NFL cover it up.”
Nevada Supreme Court Sides with Gruden
Gruden’s comments come one day after the Nevada Supreme Court ruled in his favor, rejecting the NFL’s attempt to force his case into private arbitration overseen by Goodell — the very figure named in his lawsuit.
In a 5-2 decision, the court found the arbitration provision in Gruden’s contract “unconscionable,” though it did not determine whether the league was responsible for leaking the emails to The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. Those messages, containing racist, sexist, and anti-gay language, were published in October 2021, leading to his abrupt resignation.
NFL Pushes Back
The league responded Tuesday, announcing plans to petition the Nevada Supreme Court for a rehearing. If unsuccessful, the NFL’s next likely move would be to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Gruden’s attorney, Adam Hosmer-Henner, celebrated the court’s decision to block Goodell from overseeing arbitration.
“The NFL’s legal position is absurd and will continue to be rejected by every court,” Hosmer-Henner said. “Obviously, the NFL should not be allowed to be the judge of claims against the NFL or force people to comply with contracts that the NFL can unilaterally change any time it wants without notice.”
What’s Next for Gruden
Neither Gruden nor his legal team would comment on potential settlement talks with the NFL. The 60-year-old coach also sidestepped questions about his future on the sidelines, though he recently stated, “I’d die to coach in the SEC.”
With the case now set to proceed in public court, the next phase could bring new details about one of the NFL’s most controversial off-field scandals in recent years.
