September 2, 2025
In his post, Trump included a photo depicting himself and the former Las Vegas Raiders head coach bumping fists as Gruden wore a red Trump hat
Donald Trump celebrated the character of Jon Gruden on Aug. 31, referring to the now-disgraced head coach who was forced to resign after an NFL investigation found that he sent racist emails to members of the Washington Commanders organization, as a “really nice guy” in a post to his Truth Social account.
According to The Daily Beast, in his post, Trump included a photo depicting himself and the former Las Vegas Raiders head coach, Jon Gruden, bumping fists as Gruden wore a red “Trump” hat. The photo likely will cast doubt on an internet rumor that has been spreading over the last several days, a rumor that resulted in a search query with the keywords “Trump” and “dead” in proximity, trending on Twitter. (X)
“Great playing Golf with Jon Gruden — A really nice guy, and true character!” Trump wrote in the post. Although it initially was unclear when the photo was taken, internet sleuths noticed that Gruden’s outfit was the same one he had posted to his Instagram account on Aug. 23, the same day Trump spent on the golf course.
The rumor regarding Trump’s demise originated in part because he has been out of the public eye for a few days–unusual behavior for him– in addition to images of bruised hands, swollen ankles, difficulty walking, and what some believe are mental gaffes.
Gruden, meanwhile, has been more visible recently, having scored a legal victory in his fight with the NFL over its handling of his dismissal from the league. A panel of Nevada judges ruled 5-2 to deny the NFL’s argument that an arbitration judge should hear Gruden’s complaint, and also confirmed a previous ruling by a district court in favor of Gruden.
According to The Athletic, the NFL is expected to appeal this decision, but Gruden’s lawyer, Adam Hosmer-Henner, framed this development as a win for his client.
“We’re very pleased with the Nevada Supreme Court’s decision, not just for Coach Gruden but for all employees facing an employer’s unfair arbitration process. This victory further vindicates Coach Gruden’s reputation, and it clears the way to swiftly bringing him full justice and holding the NFL accountable,” Hosmer-Henner said.
In a 2021 lawsuit against the league, Gruden claimed that the NFL leaked emails containing racist, sexist, and homophobic language “through a malicious and orchestrated campaign,” because “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.”
According to the Nevada Supreme Court’s ruling, neither the NFL’s compulsory arbitration clause nor its employment clause applied to Gruden.
“We conclude the arbitration clause in the NFL Constitution is unconscionable and does not apply to Gruden as a former employee. Nor, in the circumstances presented here, can the NFL Parties claim equitable estoppel to enforce the arbitration clause in Gruden’s coaching contract with the Raiders. Because the NFL Parties cannot compel Gruden to arbitrate, we ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED,” the judges wrote.
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