Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden allegedly sent “derogatory emails” during his tenure at the team. NFL lawyers claimed on Tuesday that the coach “consistently” sent such messages after his hiring in 2018.
Earlier this year in May, a federal judge ruled against the motion to dismiss the former coach’s lawsuit. Gruden claimed the NFL had leaked his emails to ruin his career and reputation.
Gruden sued the league and commissioner Roger Goodell last November. He resigned from the Raiders after The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times published his emails, which were found to be racist, misogynistic, and anti-LGBTQ.
More on Gruden’s lawsuit
Gruden retired from coaching in Sin City last season following his email controversy. The now-retired NFL coach claimed the emails were sent before his signing with the Raiders. However, league lawyers said otherwise and disputed Gruden’s argument via court documents filed on August 16.
“In several places, Gruden’s proposed order states that the emails were sent between 2011 and 2018, during which time Gruden was not working as a coach in the NFL but as an employee of ESPN,” the document reads.
“Gruden’s claim (and purported finding of fact) on the timing of his emails is, in reality, very much disputed by the NFL parties and in fact false. Discovery — necessary to make any finding of fact on this issue — will show that Gruden continued to send the same kinds of derogatory emails consistently following his start date with the Raiders.”
The 59-year-old, through his lawyer Adam Hosmer-Henner, dubbed the court filing unsubstantiated and called out the NFL for attacking him to avoid humiliation.
“The NFL has tried to avoid discovery from the start, not Jon Gruden,” the lawyer said.
“This is just another attempt by the NFL and Commissioner Goodell to save face by attacking Jon Gruden while still not owning up the truth of their actions. Jon isn’t going to try to hide from his deposition, is the Commissioner?”
Gruden’s agent, Bob Lamonte, spoke about the lawsuit earlier this month.
“I really believe in my heart and soul he will coach again. I’d be very surprised if he didn’t,” the agent said.
“My question is what did Jon really do? Most people wouldn’t want their private e-mails from 10 days ago looked at. That’s why if this were to go to trial, it would be devastating for the National Football League.”
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio said it could be too late for the NFL to do anything with the argument that claims Gruden sent such emails after he joined the Raiders in 2018. The initial evidence found that Gruden had sent these emails before his signing with the franchise that year.
“This means that the league believes (or already knows) that Gruden sent problematic emails not only while he worked for no NFL team but also after he returned to the Raiders in 2018,” Florio wrote.
“Gruden’s lawyers argue that the league has blown its window to bolster a failed argument that the case should be resolved in arbitration by arguing that Gruden also sent “derogatory” emails after joining the Raiders.”