Roger Goodell says he can't stop Jon Gruden from coaching in NFL despite lawsuit

Vincent Bonsignore, Las Vegas Review-Journal on Oct 22, 2025

Published in Football

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NEW YORK — Former Raiders coach Jon Gruden’s lawsuit against the NFL moved closer to a public trial earlier this month.

Despite the ongoing legal battle, commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday he can’t prevent Gruden from coaching in the league again.

“If he’s offered a job and gets a job coaching in the NFL, that’s not something that’s in my purview,” Goodell said.

Gruden, 62, resigned as Raiders coach five games into the 2021 season when a slew of racist, misogynist and anti-LGBTQ emails he wrote became public. Gruden was an ESPN broadcaster when he wrote the emails. He signed a reported 10-year, $100 million contract to return as Raiders coach in 2018.

Gruden subsequently sued the NFL and Goodell, arguing the leaked emails led to his resignation. The NFL has denied leaking the emails.

Gruden has not coached full-time since his resignation. He currently works for the media company Barstool Sports.

Goodell did not comment on the most recent ruling in the case. The Nevada Supreme Court denied the league’s appeal of the court’s August ruling that Gruden could move forward with a lawsuit and sidestep arbitration proceedings that the NFL wanted.

“I have no idea what the status of litigation is,” Goodell said.