Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has reportedly been handed another loss in his lawsuit against the NFL.
Gruden, 60, hit the league with a contact interference and conspiracy lawsuit after resigning from his position as the Raiders coach in 2021.
His resignation was the result of leaked emails that showed he had made racist, homophobic, and misogynistic statements to a Washington Football Team executive while still at ESPN.
The former coach reckons the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell were responsible for the leaks. However, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled that Gruden couldn’t sue the NFL, forcing him to seek arbitration.
According to the Associated Press, one of the justices harbored concerns about arbitration because it would allow Goodell to preside over a dispute in which he’s directly involved.
“Two justices said Gruden understood the NFL constitution allowed for arbitration to resolve disputes, and said it wasn’t clear whether Goodell or a designated third-party arbitrator would hear Gruden’s case,” the publication notes.
“One justice wrote that allowing Goodell to arbitrate a dispute in which he is a named party would be “outrageous.”
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One judge agreed with Gruden’s sentiments about the NFL only leaking his emails. But the league appealed the decision, and he has now lost an effort to have the Nevada Supreme Court reconsider whether the suit should be heard in court or private arbitration.
Jon Gruden Can Take His Case To The U.S. Supreme Court
Gruden is seeking monetary damages. He maintains that the “selective” leak of his emails and their publication by the Wall Street Journal and New York Times ruined his career and cost him endorsement deals.
Jon Gruden can appeal his case to the U.S. Supreme Court in a move which is believed to be the last card he can play. But that is a long shot.
The court is unlikely to take the case, but if it does, it would probably rule for arbitration, meaning Goodell would preside over it.
Also Read: REPORT: Former Raiders Head Coach Jon Gruden Lands New Job In Football