Former NFL Media reporter Jim Trotter recently filed a lawsuit against his former employer. When Trotter left the company earlier this year after learning he would not be renewed, he blasted the league for its diversity and inclusion efforts. Or, in some cases, a lack thereof. At the time, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was left scrambling to defend the league and its diversity. Based on the lawsuit, more defense efforts might be needed from others, including Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
Trotter’s lawsuit against the league specifically cites Jones as well as Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula. The allegations are both repulsive and racist. Pegula is alleged to have said, “If the Black players don’t like it here, they should go back to Africa and see how bad it is.” The lawsuit said Trotter took issue with this “but no remedial action was taken.”
Later, the lawsuit named Jones. When Trotter asked him how few Black professionals were in the league, especially the decision-makers, Jones allegedly responded, “If Blacks feel some kind of way, they should buy their own team and hire who they want to hire.”
After those comments were made public, both Pegula and Jones officially responded to the allegations. Todd Archer posted Jerry’s comments, which read, “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.”
No additional comments have been made and likely will not be until the case either moves to court or reaches a settlement.
About Chris Novak
Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022