• Loading stock data...
Thursday, October 9, 2025
Law

Jon Gruden Secures Early Victories in Lawsuit Against the NFL

  • Judge denies the NFL’s motions to dismiss and to compel arbitration during 90-minute hearing in Las Vegas.
  • Gruden resigned as coach of the Raiders after a series of racist, misogynistic, and homophobic emails were published in October.
Gruden Hearing
A.J. Perez/FOS

LAS VEGAS — Former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden grinned as he exited a Clark County courtroom Wednesday, moments after securing two major victories that will allow his lawsuit against the NFL to proceed. 

District Court Judge Nancy Allf denied the NFL’s motions to dismiss the case and another that would have shifted the dispute into arbitration during the 90-minute hearing. 

Allf’s rulings mean not only will the case remain in this Nevada court, but it also sets the stage for discovery where Gruden’s legal team could get access to who was behind the leak of the racist, sexist, and homophobic emails that led to his resignation in October. 

“We are going to let the process take care of itself,” Gruden said outside the courtroom flanked by his wife, Cindy. “Good luck to the Raiders. Go Raiders. I don’t have anything [else] to comment on. This process will take care of itself. It’s good to be back in Vegas. I am going to see friends tonight.”

The NFL issued the following statement to Front Office Sports following the hearing:

“We believe Coach Gruden’s claims should have been compelled to arbitration, and we will file an appeal of the Court’s determination. The Court’s denial of our motion to dismiss is not a determination on the merits of Coach Gruden’s lawsuit, which, as we have said from the outset, lacks a basis in law and fact and proceeds from a false premise — neither the NFL nor the Commissioner leaked Coach Gruden’s offensive emails.”

Gruden sued the NFL in November, claiming the league and Commissioner Roger Goodell were behind “a malicious and orchestrated campaign” to leak the emails exchanged with former Commanders executive Bruce Allen between 2010 and 2018.

Gruden was an analyst at ESPN at the time of the exchanges, something Allf noted before making her first ruling. 

“When Jon Gruden entered into the richest contact in NFL history, he agreed to broad arbitration provisions that cover all disputes arising out of the employment agreement or involving conduct detrimental to the league,” NFL’s lead outside attorney Kannon Shanmugam said in court. “Gruden’s claims stem from his resignation [after] the publication of racist, sexist, and homophobic emails that he wrote and broadly circulated, and those claims are subject to arbitration.”

“The emails were sent before he signed the contract [to become the Raiders’ head coach],” Allf interjected. 

Minutes later, Allf denied the motion to move the case to arbitration. She told the court that Gruden’s contract as coach of the Raiders “as drafted [is] not subject to arbitration.”

Later in the hearing, Allf denied the NFL’s request to dismiss the case.

“Frankly, at this point, I don’t think the defendant has enough [to warrant a dismissal,” Allf said.

Gruden’s lead attorney, Adam Hosmer-Henner, and Shanmugam, declined comment after the hearing’s conclusion. 

While the legal fight is hardly over with the NFL signaling it will head to a Nevada’s appeals court, it could have wide implications — especially if the case gets to the discovery stage.

In past cases, the NFL has fought to keep sensitive financial information and correspondence — like the cache of 650,000 Commanders emails the Gruden emails were culled from — out of the public eye.

In November, the NFL avoided a trial in a civil case filed by St. Louis, St. Louis County, and the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority over the Rams’ relocation to Los Angeles for a record price tag of $790 million.

Sources told FOS at the time, one of the major factors the league did so was to avoid information from becoming public at trial.

The discovery process could also put more pressure on Commanders owner Dan Snyder.

“Those emails were deemed so confidential that they refused to release them despite Congress’ request,” Hosmer-Henner said during the hearing.

The House Oversight Committee launched an investigation into the Commanders over hostile workplace allegations days after Gruden’s resignation.

While the NFL has turned over more than 200,000 pages of documents, none of those documents include the 650,000 emails obtained as part of an outside investigation of the team led by former assistant U.S. Attorney Beth Wilkinson. Wilkinson wrapped up her investigation of the Commanders last July and the team was fined $10 million, but no written report of the probe was generated.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Hymie Elhai

Jets Say Execs Tried to Sink Team President in Bumbling Conspiracy

The team says thousands of deleted text messages show the plot.

NFL and College Football TV Ratings Continue to Surge, Especially for CBS

The network’s singleheader coverage Sunday drew huge viewership.
Jonathan Gannon

Cardinals Fine Coach Jonathan Gannon $100K for Striking Player

Demercado made a costly mistake in the Cardinals’ loss to the Titans. 

‘Absolutely Ridiculous’: Trump Blasts NFL Over Bad Bunny Choice

The president predictably panned the NFL’s selection of the Puerto Rican superstar.

Featured Today

Paul Cartier

Sports Organists Are Still Thriving in the Era of Raucous Arena Music

“When they walk out and they see a real organ guy, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
Sep 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Jackson Chourio (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field.
October 4, 2025

Milwaukee Moneyball: Brewers Are Beating MLB’s Deeper Pockets

Milwaukee is holding its own against big-budget competitors.
Kōloa Rum Company Rum Rusher
September 27, 2025

Panthers Bubbly, Jets Wine, Manning Whiskey: The Sports Booze Boom

A sommelier dives into the sports booze trend—and tries Jets wine.
Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers fans wave Terrible Towels against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium
September 26, 2025

Steelers’ Irish Roots Are Deeper Than NFL Dublin Game

The Steelers have history and the foundation for a future in Ireland.
Brian Flores

Court Again Rejects NFL Request to Send Flores Case to Arbitration

The NFL has tried to keep the case out of open court.
Jon Gruden
October 3, 2025

Jon Gruden’s Case Against NFL Gets Closer to Open Court

The Nevada Supreme Court ruled unanimously against the NFL’s appeal. 
Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans former quarterbacks Mark Sanchez (left) and Matt Leinart watch from the sidelines during the Pac-12 Championship game against the Utah Utes at Allegiant Stadium.
October 6, 2025

Mark Sanchez, Fox Sports Sued Over Alley Fight That Turned Bloody

The high-profile incident took place Saturday night in Indianapolis.
Sponsored

How Jenny Just Is Shaping the Future of Sports Ownership

Jenny Just on bringing her investment experience to sports ownership.
Apr 16, 2025; Washington, DC, USA; FIFA Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis speaks during a FIFA Club World Cup press conference at Audi Field.
October 1, 2025

San Diego Wave Owners Sue Jill Ellis for Abandoning Team After Sale

Ellis allegedly broke a pledge by leaving for FIFA after the sale.
Brian Flores
September 30, 2025

Brian Flores Asks Court to Halt NFL Arbitration

The war between Flores’s lawyers and an NFL arbitrator has heated up.
Oct 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans co-founder and former owner Janice McNair (left) sits with Texans chief executive officer Cal McNair and wife Hannah McNair in front of family members of Texans former player Andre Johnson (not pictured) during a ceremony at halftime of the game against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium.
September 29, 2025

NFL Sued for $100M Over Efforts to ‘Silence’ Brother of Texans Owner

Robert Cary McNair Jr. says the NFL helped remove him from roles.
Apr 11, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Kris Murray (24) grabs a rebound during the second half against Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield (7) at Moda Center.
September 26, 2025

RAJ Sports Sues Panda Express Owners for Dumping Them in Blazers Bid

RAJ Sports says it led a group that sought to buy the Blazers.