Former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, who resigned last month after racist, misogynistic and anti-gay emails surfaced, is suing the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell.
“Through a malicious and orchestrated campaign, the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell sought to destroy the career and reputation of Jon Gruden, the former head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders,” the lawsuit filed Thursday in Clark County District Court stated. “Defendants’ treatment of Gruden was a Soviet-style character assassination. There was no warning and no process. Defendants held the emails for months until they were leaked to the national media in the middle of the Raiders’ season in order to cause maximum damage to Gruden.”
A NFL spokesman responded to the lawsuit Friday: “The allegations are entirely meritless and the NFL will vigorously defend against these claims.”
Gruden’s lawyers wrote in the 21-page complaint that he was “forced to resign.”
“When their initial salvo did not result in Gruden’s firing or resignation, Defendants ratcheted up the pressure by intimating that further documents would become public if Gruden was not fired,” the lawsuit stated. “They followed through with this threat by leaking another batch of documents to the New York Times for an October 11, 2021 article. On October 7, 2021, Jon Gruden was the head coach of the Raiders on a 10-year, $100-million contract. By October 11, 2021, he had been forced to resign.”
The complaint alleges intentional interference with contractual relations, tortious interference with prospective economic advantage, negligence, negligent hiring, negligent supervision, civil conspiracy, and aiding and abetting.
“Defendants hired and retained several professionals to lead the investigation. Defendants also hired and retained numerous employees and professionals to help conduct the investigation, including Commissioner Goodell, who is employed by the NFL,” the suit stated. “Defendants knew that those employees and agents leading and conducting the investigation would have access to and control over highly confidential personal information… Defendants substantially assisted one another to accomplish the wrongful acts committed against Gruden.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Follow @randompoker on Twitter.
Jon Gruden lawsuit against NFL and Roger Goodell by Las Vegas Review-Journal on Scribd
