There’s a stubborn glint back in Jon Gruden’s eyes. The same look that used to cut through NFL meeting rooms at 5 a.m. He’s been out of the league since 2021, pushed to the curb after leaked emails ended his Raiders run, but he hasn’t exactly been quiet.
Gruden’s been bouncing around the sport in the years since. Sitting in quarterback rooms, consulting on playbooks, even turning up in the European League of Football. It’s not TV punditry or nostalgia tours. It’s work.
And this summer, the sightings feel different. In late July, he was at Lions camp, standing next to offensive coordinator John Morton, the guy he first brought into the NFL in the ’90s. He talked about Jared Goff’s command of the offense, swapped scheme notes, and then dropped the line he knew would get out: “Hopefully I’m not done.”
The comeback push
Jon Gruden‘s recent sightings are akin to a calculated campaign aimed at reminding everyone that his coaching flame burns as hot as ever. That late-July stop at Lions camp was no nostalgia tour. Standing alongside Morton, Gruden talked schemes, praised Jared Goff, and then made his pitch out loud: “I’m working hard to maybe get one more shot… I’m going to coach again. I don’t care if I coach at Jones Junior High.”
It’s not about the level, he stressed, it’s about the chance to teach and lead. That mindset still resonates with former players like Morton and Derek Carr. And it’s kept doors open in places like New Orleans and Tampa, where the Saints have tapped him as an occasional consultant and the Buccaneers restored his name to their Ring of Honor earlier this year.
Together, these moves indicate a coach systematically re-gaining credibility, positioning himself for the chance he‘s been pursuing. Jon Gruden’s recent traveling appears like a coaching campaign trail. But behind the scenes, a legal fight is being waged that has the potential to redefine his legacy and challenge the NFL’s hold on disputes.
The legal knockout: NFL’s nightmare
On August 11, the Nevada Supreme Court administered a devastating blow to the NFL. It ruled 5–2 in favor of Jon Gruden in his suit against commissioner Roger Goodell and the league for releasing emails with racist, misogynistic, and homophobic comments from his ESPN analyst years. The court denied the NFL’s effort at closed-door arbitration by Goodell, deeming it “unconscionable” and irrelevant to a former employee like Gruden.
Leaving the case in public court allows for discovery, depositions, and potential release of internal NFL communications. Perilous ground for a league founded on scripted narratives. The ruling may also aid other cases, such as Brian Flores’ discrimination complaint.
Gruden’s lawyers claim the NFL leaked the emails to pressure Raiders owner Mark Davis into firing him when the team was 3–1. “They completely blindsided me and the team… What happened wasn’t right and I’m glad the court didn’t let the NFL cover it up,” Gruden said. The league plans to appeal, possibly to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The justices said the NFL’s constitution “no longer pertains to Gruden” and that allowing Goodell to arbitrate a case in which he is a defendant would be unfair at its core. Gruden’s lawyer termed it “a victory not only for Coach Gruden but for all employees facing an employer’s unfair arbitration process.”
Jon Gruden’s perfect timing
Gruden’s football comeback is colliding with his ongoing legal battle. He’s suing for lost coaching opportunities and endorsement deals, but he’s also seeking public accountability. “I want the truth to come out,” he said. Moreover, he added that he doesn’t want what happened to him to happen to anyone else.
The NFL is now locked in a two-front fight: appealing the Nevada court’s decision to higher courts while trying to manage the potential fallout if the case proceeds publicly. Every delay buys Gruden more time—to stay in the spotlight, build new alliances, and reshape his image from disgraced coach to resilient contender.
Wherever his next headset ends up, whether in an NFL booth or on a college sideline, Jon Gruden is moving with urgency. His coaching hunger and legal momentum are peaking at the same time. It’s a combination the NFL didn’t anticipate—and likely didn’t want.
The man once forced out of the league isn’t just trying to return on his own terms. Indeed, he may be in a position to drag the league into the kind of public reckoning it’s spent years trying to avoid.
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