Jon Gruden, the former Raiders coach, is seeking to challenge the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell in court, aiming to avoid having his case sent to arbitration.
The Nevada Supreme Court has granted a rehearing before the full panel of seven justices, potentially giving Gruden a better chance at overturning a prior decision made by three judges, which ruled in favor of arbitration. This rehearing could open the door for Gruden to proceed with his lawsuit in a more public court setting rather than behind closed arbitration.
The fact that the rehearing was granted is seen as a positive sign for Gruden, as the court could have simply declined the request if it wanted to uphold the previous ruling. However, for Gruden to succeed, he would need more justices on his side. The outcome now depends on whether more than two justices are willing to overturn the previous ruling that favored the NFL.
Gruden’s argument centers around the idea that arbitration overseen by the NFL Commissioner or his chosen representative is inherently biased. Since the Commissioner is employed by the NFL and has a vested interest in protecting the league, Gruden believes there is a clear conflict of interest in allowing Goodell or his designees to oversee the arbitration process, especially since the case directly involves the Commissioner and the NFL itself.
Many are rooting for Gruden to succeed in keeping the case out of arbitration, even though his resignation came after leaked emails exposed inappropriate comments. These leaks came during the 2021 season as part of the NFL’s investigation into the Washington Football Team, raising concerns about the integrity of the process.
Gruden’s legal battle could potentially reveal who was responsible for leaking the emails, which some believe were strategically used to force him out of his job. If the case remains in arbitration, that information may never come to light.
