Nevada Supreme Court Denies NFL Rehearing Clears Path For Gruden Suit

The Nevada Supreme Court unanimously denied on Thursday the NFL's petition for a rehearing in Jon Gruden's lawsuit, a decision that clears the way for the former Las Vegas Raiders coach to pursue civil litigation in state court and opens the door to pretrial discovery that could make internal league materials public.

The ruling upholds an August decision by the same court, which in a 5-2 vote found that Gruden could not be compelled into the NFL's arbitration process and may proceed in court. The latest denial was unanimous. The league may now seek review by the United States Supreme Court, a step it has signaled it may pursue.

Gruden filed the suit in November 2021 against the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell after emails he sent between 2011 and 2018 were made public in October 2021, prompting his resignation as Raiders coach. The lawsuit alleges the league intentionally leaked those messages, which contained racist, sexist and homophobic language, in an orchestrated effort to destroy his career. Gruden is seeking monetary damages, saying the selective disclosure of the emails ruined his employment and endorsement opportunities.

Gruden's attorney, Adam Hosmer-Henner, said by...