Former NFL Head Coach Jon Gruden Seeks Over $150 Million in Lawsuit Against the NFL
Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden is continuing a long-running lawsuit against the National Football League and Commissioner Roger Goodell, alleging the league leaked private emails to force his resignation and damage his career. In a recent court filing, Gruden’s attorneys state that his claimed losses exceed $150 million, citing lost employment, diminished future opportunities, and reputational harm.
The estimate appears in a Case Conference Report filed on February 4 in the Nevada state court. Gruden claims the losses stem from the end of his employment with the Las Vegas Raiders, interference with future coaching opportunities, lost contract value, lost sponsorships, reputational injury, and the legal costs associated with pursuing the case. The report followed an early case conference that the NFL declined to attend, citing ongoing appeals that it argues should pause further proceedings.
Gruden resigned as head coach of the Raiders in October 2021 after news organizations reported on emails he had sent while working for ESPN several years earlier. The emails surfaced during coverage of an internal investigation into the Washington Commanders and former owner Daniel Snyder. That investigation, commissioned by the league, reviewed roughly 650,000 workplace emails. Gruden was not employed by the NFL when the emails were written and was not the subject of the investigation.
The lawsuit alleges that Gruden’s emails were selectively disclosed to the media to provoke public backlash and prompt his resignation. Court filings argue that league officials interfered with his contractual relationship and future career by releasing the emails without justification. The NFL has denied the allegations and has sought to prevent the case from moving forward.
A central dispute in the case is whether Gruden must pursue his claims through arbitration rather than in open court. The league argues its internal rules require disputes involving coaches to be resolved through arbitration overseen by league authority. Gruden has challenged that requirement, arguing the process would not provide a neutral forum, particularly where the commissioner is named as a party to the lawsuit.
That arbitration question has shaped much of the litigation. Arbitration proceedings are typically private and limit access to discovery, the process by which parties exchange documents and take sworn testimony. Court proceedings, by contrast, allow broader discovery and public oversight. Gruden’s attorneys argue that arbitration would limit examination of who had access to the emails and how decisions regarding their release were made.
The NFL has also relied on Nevada’s anti-SLAPP statute in its effort to dismiss the case. Anti-SLAPP laws are intended to quickly end lawsuits that target protected speech on matters of public concern. The league argues the disclosure of the emails falls within those protections. Gruden counters that the case concerns alleged misconduct rather than protected speech and centers on the improper use of confidential materials to damage his employment and reputation.
Courts applying anti-SLAPP statutes must determine whether the challenged conduct qualifies as protected speech or actionable behavior. If the statute applies, a case may be dismissed at an early stage. If it does not, the lawsuit proceeds. That threshold decision determines whether Gruden may seek internal league documents or testimony from league officials.
In the Case Conference Report, Gruden’s attorneys identified a broad group of individuals who may possess relevant information. The list includes league executives, current and former team owners, attorneys involved in the Commanders' investigation, and Gruden himself. The filing does not indicate that depositions have been scheduled or that subpoenas have been issued.
The report also identifies several NFL teams that may hold relevant records, including the Raiders, Commanders, Cowboys, Patriots, Seahawks, Giants, Jets, and Dolphins. Gruden’s attorneys also argue the league should produce all documents generated during the Commanders' investigation, along with a presentation allegedly shared with league leadership that referenced internal communications.
Another major component of the lawsuit involves damages. In civil cases alleging career harm, courts may consider not only lost wages but also loss of future earning capacity and reputational injury. Gruden’s attorneys argue the alleged disclosure effectively ended his coaching career and foreclosed future opportunities, resulting in losses extending beyond his Raiders contract. The more than $150 million figure reflects a claimed amount and would require proof that the league’s actions directly caused those losses.
According to the filing, no settlement discussions have occurred. The case has been pending for more than four years, largely due to disputes over arbitration and other early procedural issues rather than factual determinations on the merits. The next phase of the litigation depends on how those disputes are resolved.
