Nevada’s Supreme Court ruled Tuesday the complaint filed by former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden against the NFL is subject to arbitration, according to ESPN.com.
“Gruden’s lawsuit accuses the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell of ‘directly leaking’ racist and misogynistic emails in an attempt to harm Gruden’s reputation and force him out as coach of the Las Vegas Raiders in October 2021,” ESPN noted.
The NFL disputed the allegations in court and argued Gruden was still required to enter arbitration despite no longer being employed by the Raiders.
The incriminating emails sent by Gruden were unearthed as part of the NFL’s investigation into the culture within the Washington Commanders’ organization.
Among the revelations was that he had used a racist trope to describe NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith. He also reportedly used anti-gay language, including in reference to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Gruden filed suit against the NFL in November 2021, alleging the league and Goodell executed “a malicious and orchestrated campaign” to harm his reputation.
The 60-year-old faced an uphill battle thanks to the arbitration clause written into the NFL Constitution and the contract he signed with the Raiders.
A lower Nevada court ruled in 2022 that Gruden’s suit could proceed through the legal system, denying the NFL’s appeal to send the matter into arbitration.
Pro Football Talk outlined the arguments for both sides. Gruden’s lawyers contended the arbitration clause in his Raiders contract didn’t apply because he didn’t name them as a defendant. The NFL countered his situation was covered by its overall Constitution and Bylaws. Under the rules, the commissioner can “compel arbitration of any dispute arising from situation deemed to be conduct detrimental to the NFL or the sport of professional football,” per PFT.
With Tuesday’s ruling, Gruden’s complaint will now be resolved behind closed doors with Goodell or another party appointed by the commissioner overseeing the case.
At the time of his resignation, Gruden was four years into a 10-year contract with the Raiders worth a reported $100 million.
2024-05-14 19:44:23
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