Jon Gruden to Call 1 NFL Preseason Game as Lawsuit Against League Moves Forward

Q: Will Jon Gruden's on-air performance matter more than the verdict in his high-stakes legal battle with the NFL?

No. Gruden’s on-air showing can help his image in the short term, but the legal case is far more important to his long-term future. A preseason broadcast, reportedly the Buccaneers-Chiefs game on Aug. 22 for WFLA, is a limited test. If Gruden is sharp, prepared and comfortable doing play-by-play, it could remind viewers and employers that he still has broadcast value beyond his Barstool work and his old ESPN résumé. It may also show whether he can successfully shift from color analysis to a more demanding role. But that appearance will not settle the issue that still defines his standing in the NFL: the 2021 email scandal and his claim that the league selectively leaked those emails to force him out. His lawsuit seeks more than $150 million, and the case now carries unusual weight because courts have allowed it to proceed publicly rather than through NFL-controlled arbitration. A trial is set for May 2027, and Gruden’s lawyers are pursuing testimony from top league figures. That matters more because the verdict could affect three things a single broadcast cannot: money, legal vindication and access. A favorable outcome could strengthen Gruden’s argument that he was targeted and improve his chances of landing a bigger media or football role. A loss would leave the original scandal as the dominant fact of his career. So the broadcast may shape the tone of his comeback attempt, but the lawsuit will do more to determine whether that comeback has real limits.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 15

Next month, Jon Gruden is reportedly set to work an NFL preseason broadcast and could handle play-by-play, marking his first notable league-facing role since leaving the Raiders in 2021.
That return to the booth comes while Gruden still seeks another coaching job after resigning over leaked emails that contained racist, sexist and homophobic language.
His legal fight with the NFL remains active: Gruden alleges the league used a malicious campaign to destroy his career, and the Nevada Supreme Court ruled in August that the case could stay in court.
The same court unanimously rejected the NFL's bid to revisit that decision in October, leaving Gruden's lawsuit alive as he tries to rebuild his football career.