Former NFL Coach Jon Gruden Delivers An Absolutely Electric Speech At Trump’s Rally In Ohio

Former Las Vegas Raiders and Super Bowl-winning head coach Jon Gruden has given Republican Senate candidate Jon Husted his full support during a surprise visit at a campaign rally for President Donald Trump in Vandalia, Ohio.

Gruden, 63, a native of Sandusky, Ohio, who went to college at the University of Dayton, took the stage and began endorsing his former college football teammate.

“I want to thank everybody for growing up. Thank you guys, for being here. I love you guys,” Gruden said. “… Jon Husted is a lot more than my friend. He was a great player. He intercepted 17 passes on the gridiron.

“I know why he was a great player. It was because of his work ethic, and his commitment, and his native Dayton mental toughness. He will never quit on you or anybody. Let’s hear it for Husted.”

After the crowd gave Gruden a large round of applause, he had one last thing to tell them.

“Before you know it. This election is over, yes? It’s over,” Gruden said. “But what we gotta do is we gotta do our part. Early voting starts Tuesday. Can we be there or not?”

Click to expand...

JON GRUDEN JUST GRABBED THE MIC AT TRUMP'S OHIO RALLY AND COACHED THE WHOLE CROWD UP FOR ELECTION DAY.

The man spent his life firing up football teams, and tonight he fired up an entire state.

He told Ohio that early voting starts Tuesday and asked everyone to bring their…

— Gunther Eagleman

(@GuntherEagleman) October 3, 2026

Click to expand...

A Las Vegas judge has denied the NFL’s latest attempts to dismiss a lawsuit from former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden.

Gruden resigned from the Raiders on Oct. 11, 2021, after emails surfaced showing he used racist, misogynistic and homophobic comments. A New York Times investigation revealed Gruden had not only used racist comments in an email in 2011 but had regularly used derogatory language in emails during his employment with ESPN before joining the Raiders.

Gruden filed his lawsuit against the league and Goodell a month after his resignation, saying the move was “forced.”

For years, NFL lawyers have pushed to settle Gruden’s lawsuit through arbitration — not the public discovery process. That process would likely reveal how and who leaked Gruden’s emails and other business-related information. In August, the Nevada Supreme Court sided with Gruden, saying the league’s arbitration clause does not apply to Gruden as a former employee.

In court on Wednesday, Clark County District Court Judge Joe Hardy denied several motions from the NFL to stall or dismiss the case, including one arguing he should dismiss the lawsuit under Nevada’s anti-SLAPP statute. The provision essentially protects whistleblowers under the First Amendment.

Lawyers for the league have claimed Gruden “consistently” sent “derogatory emails,” according to court filings, adding that the league does not know the source of the leak.

In newly filed paperwork, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he did not leak the emails, nor does he know who did.

Gruden was not in court on Wednesday. Hardy scheduled a Jan. 12 deadline for the attorneys to respond to other claims. The judge has yet to schedule a trial date.

Gruden signed a $100 million contract with the then-Oakland Raiders in 2018. According to the lawsuit, he was not paid the remaining balance on the contract, which runs through 2027. Gruden’s lawyers claim the resignation led to him losing out on endorsement deals, including one with footwear company Skechers.

Click to expand...