When former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden resigned from his job with the team in 2021, it was over a series of emails where Gruden reportedly used inappropriate language.
Gruden filed suit against the NFL in November 2021; his attorneys have since estimated his losses at well over $150 million. The NFL is invoking Nevada’s anti-SLAPP ‘free speech’ statute to try to kill the lawsuit. A trial judge rejected that argument, and the league is now appealing to the Nevada Supreme Court.
This situation didn’t sit well with Pro Football Talk writer and talk-show host Mike Florio. Florio, who has a legal background, is basically slamming the league for using anti-SLAPP laws to get out of leaking thousands of emails that led to Gruden’s ouster in 2021.
Mike Florio Airs Grievances over Jon Gruden Lawsuit
Florio raised some issues on a recent Pro Football Talk show that throws some shade on what the NFL did regarding Gruden.
“Look, I want to be fair and objective here, but it’s kind of a ridiculous position for the NFL to take,” Florio said. “Especially because they’re still taking the position that Gruden can’t prove they leaked the emails. And we see in the law, parties will take alternative positions.”
“Basically, we didn’t do this, but even if we did, it’s protected under the anti-SLAPP laws,” Florio continued. “It’s protected free speech in advance of a public interest, but we didn’t do it. I mean, it’s a very delicate line to walk. We didn’t do it. We didn’t do it, but if we had, it would have been OK.”
“But we didn’t do this horrible thing that we’re accused of doing,” Florio said. “But if we had, it’d be OK. We didn’t do it. But hey, maybe it was good that we did even if we didn’t because it advances the public interest.”
BUILD YOUR OWN TOP 100: PFN’s FREE NFL Top 100 Builder
What are anti-SLAPP laws? According to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, SLAPP stands for strategic lawsuits against public participation. SLAPPs are an all-too-common tool used for “intimidation and silencing criticism through expensive baseless legal proceedings.”
Additionally, according to the Committee, “Anti-SLAPP laws are intended to prevent people from using courts, and potential threats of a lawsuit, to intimidate people who are exercising their First Amendment rights.”
What will happen now regarding Gruden’s lawsuit against the NFL? Time will tell. Gruden reportedly wants to get back into the NFL in a coaching role.
That might not happen until he finalizes what will take place in a courtroom. His future, at least as far as becoming a head coach again, remains in doubt.
