A former NFL Media journalist is accusing the league of refusing to deal with what he calls long-standing institutional discrimination and mentioned his contract was not renewed as a result of he repeatedly voiced issues concerning fairness and racial injustice.
In making his allegations in a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court docket in New York City, Jim Trotter additionally cited Dallas Cowboys proprietor Jerry Jones and Buffalo Bills proprietor Terry Pegula as making racially insensitive feedback. Trotter mentioned the issues he raised with league executives, together with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, concerning these feedback and the shortage of variety amongst NFL Media workers fell on deaf ears.
“The NFL has claimed it wants to be held accountable regarding diversity, equity and inclusion. I tried to do so, and it cost me my job,” Trotter mentioned in an announcement launched by his legislation agency, Wigdor. “I’m filing this lawsuit because I can’t complain about things that are wrong if I’m unwilling to fight for what is right.”
Trotter is Black and now works for The Athletic after beforehand being a reporter for the NFL Network, earlier than his contract was not renewed in March.
The NFL issued an announcement disputing Trotter’s allegations.
“We share Jim Trotter’s passion for quality journalism created in and supported by a diverse and inclusive environment,” the NFL mentioned. “We take his concerns seriously, but strongly dispute his specific allegations, particularly those made against his dedicated colleagues at NFL Media.”
The NFL mentioned Trotter’s contract was not renewed on account of enterprise choices made to deal with “a challenging economy and a changing media environment.”
Pegula additionally mentioned in an announcement that the allegation in opposition to him is fake. “I am horrified that anyone would connect me to an allegation of this kind,” he mentioned. “Racism has no place in our society and I am personally disgusted that my name is associated with this complaint.”
Jones issued an announcement that mentioned: “Diversity and inclusion are extremely important to me personally and to the NFL. The representation made by Jim Trotter of a conversation that occurred over three years ago with myself and our VP of Player Personnel Will McClay is simply not accurate.”
Trotter mentioned he was subjected to discrimination on the premise of his race. He alleges the NFL fostered and condoned a hostile work setting by terminating him.
He is in search of to have a court-ordered monitor put in place to research and evaluate the NFL’s insurance policies and implement essential adjustments on its hiring, retention and development of Black workers all through its group.
The lawsuit mentioned NFL Media didn’t have a single Black particular person in a managerial place or on its information desk.
Trotter raised his issues concerning the shortage of Black folks in decision-making positions to Goodell at a number of information conferences, together with through the league’s Super Bowl festivities in February.
In a prolonged reply, Goodell mentioned partially: “I think it’s not a single answer, Jim, the single responsibility comes on all of us in the NFL, and we have to be the ones that make that change, and we are the ones that have to make sure we bring diversity deeper into our NFL and make the NFL an inclusive and diverse organization, that allows everyone the opportunity to be successful.”
Trotter mentioned that on the next day, his direct supervisor, Ali Bhanpuri, requested one in every of Trotter’s colleagues: “Why does Jim keep bringing this up?”
NFL Media famous that its three most up-to-date senior hires are folks of shade, with two being Black and the opposite Hispanic. And eight of 9 of its most up-to-date on-air hirings signify numerous backgrounds, together with seven being Black.
Trotter’s attorneys, Douglas Wigdor and David Gottlieb, issued a joint assertion that mentioned: “The NFL should be ashamed of the racial animus openly expressed by team owners and a complete lack of action by the league after being put on notice.”
Trotter implicated Jones by referring to a dialog he had with the Cowboys proprietor in 2020 on the problem of the shortage of Black professionals in decision-making positions throughout the NFL. He mentioned, Jones’ response was: “If Blacks feel some kind of way, they should buy their own team and hire who they want to hire.”
Trotter mentioned he was ordered by his superiors to not point out Jones feedback’ in his reporting.
Trotter then cited a remark Pegula allegedly made throughout a dinner with reporters on the problem of participant protests in opposition to racial injustice. Though Trotter wasn’t current, he mentioned the feedback had been raised by one in every of his colleagues throughout an NFL Media Zoom name in 2020.
An individual briefed on the matter instructed The Associated Press that the NFL carried out an investigation into Pegula’s alleged feedback by interviewing all these current on the dinner, and it couldn’t discover anybody else recalling the feedback being made.
The particular person spoke to the AP on situation of anonymity as a result of the NFL has not revealed the contents of its investigation.
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