Ex-NFL Network reporter files lawsuit against NFL, alleging discrimination

Jim TrotterA longtime reporter and columnist who worked for NFL Network for five years is suing the NFL … claiming his contract wasn’t renewed after he pushed for it Roger Goodell about the league’s hiring practices regarding minorities.

“Jim Trotter … was fired by the National Football League for challenging Commissioner Roger Goodell and others about racial discrimination and lack of diversity in the NFL,” says the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in New York.

Trotter, a contributor to the NFL-owned NFL Network, has publicly chastised Goodell on multiple occasions about the league and teams’ lack of Black executives, including during a nationally televised interview the week before the Super Bowl in February 2023 .

Still, Trotter says everything pointed to him getting a new contract in the spring since his contract was expiring… However, at the end of March, his contract wasn’t renewed and he was out of a job.

“Many media outlets have already admitted that the NFL retaliated against and retaliated against Mr. Trotter for calling out the NFL for its discriminatory practices,” wrote Trotter’s attorneys at Wigdor LLP.

“The NFL’s treatment of Mr. Trotter is consistent with a documented history of silencing, retaliation and ‘blackballing’ of Black men who speak out about such behavior. This is the way the NFL operates and is part of the fabric of the league.”

Wigdor is the same firm that represents the former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores in his Racial discrimination lawsuit.

The lawsuit also refers to this Jerry Jones … and an alleged conversation he had with Trotter in August 2020, when the reporter asked the Cowboys owner (similar to the question he asked Goodell) about the league’s hiring practices when it came to Black executives.

“If black people think like that, they should buy their own team and hire the people they want to hire,” Trotter said Jones responded.

Trotter also references the owner of the Buffalo Bills Terry Pegula …which he claims he once remarked…”If the black players don’t like it here, they should go back to Africa and see how bad it is.”

JT says he raised concerns about the comment but “no remedial action was taken.”

FYI: According to Trotter, the NFL only has 8 black general managers and 3 black head coaches.

In addition to the 53-page lawsuit, Trotter, who now works for The Athletic, also released a statement further explaining his reasons for filing the lawsuit.

“The NFL has maintained that it wants to be held accountable when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion. I tried it and it cost me my job. I’m filing this lawsuit because I can’t complain about things that are wrong when I do.” “I’m not willing to fight for what’s right,” JT wrote on social media.