ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith is touting Jon Gruden for a return to coaching in the NFL. This comes after the former Las Vegas Raiders coach secured a crucial victory in his lawsuit against the NFL, following the Nevada Supreme Court's ruling in the coach's favor on Aug. 11.Speaking on an episode of “First Take” on Friday, Smith boldly declared that Gruden and Brian Flores deserve a return to the NFL as head coaches. Both coaches have been involved in an intense legal battle with the league for different reasons over the last couple of years.“I believe that both Jon Gruden and Brian Flores will find themselves back in the NFL as head coaches,” Smith said. “I know Brian Flores is still here, but I'm saying, because here's my point, if you're smart, that's exactly what will happen, that's exactly what would happen."“It's not to say that John Gruden is innocent and you're going to forget what those emails revealed, but the bottom line is that you've left people back in the league for doing worse. And it should have been a death sentence, so you've got that going on, and in the case of Brian Flores, there is no excuse," he added.Jon Gruden, who currently works as an analyst for Barstool Sports, was forced to resign as the Raiders coach in 2021 after a series of his emails to Bruce Allen were leaked. The coach had used racist, misogynistic and homophobic slurs in the emails to the Washington Football general manager.After Jon Gruden, Stephen A. Smith makes a case for Brian FloresLike Jon Gruden, Brian Flores hasn’t had a head coaching job in the NFL since he left the Miami Dolphins in 2021. However, he's been an assistant at two different teams. Citing the Dolphins' current situation, Stephen A. Smith opined that Flores deserves a head coaching job.“In the case of Brian Flores, there is no excuse why this man is not a head coach in the NFL right now. How's life in Miami with Mike McDaniel? How's that going? They can't win when the weather is 50 degrees or lower," Smith said on the same episode of “First Take.”“Literally, it's an indictment against the franchise because they can't play in inclement weather. And that ain't even inclement weather. It could be sunshine and 48 degrees, and it's too much for them. This weather stops the Miami Dolphins from winning. That's in the Mike McDaniel era. That ain't in the Brian Flores era. That man can coach," he added.In February 2022, Flores filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL teams New York Giants, Denver Broncos, and Miami Dolphins, alleging racial discrimination in hiring practices. He accused the Giants of deciding to hire Brian Daboll before offering him an interview, with a similar allegation for the Broncos. He also accused the Dolphins owner, Stephen Ross, of tampering and pressuring him to lose games for a better draft position.Brian Flores will continue as the Minnesota Vikings' defensive coordinator in 2025. He was hired by Kevin O’Connell in 2023, and he's done a great job in the role. For Jon Gruden, it remains unclear what the future holds for him in the NFL, as the league intends to appeal his victory.