A former Kansas City Chiefs staffer is suing the NFL team amid accusations the organization paid Black employees less than their white counterparts, per multiple reports.
Former NFL player Ramzee Robinson alleged in a lawsuit filed in the Western District of Missouri on Sunday, June 15, that he ended his tenure with the Chiefs in February with a $125,000 salary, while positions comparable to his average $171,932, according to The Athletic and the Daily Mail, both of which said they had obtained the court docs in reports published Wednesday, June 18.
Robinson, 41, claims that he requested a salary review, which was denied by Chiefs president Mark Donovan, per the reports.
The former cornerback further alleged that an African-American employee in a management position earned $50,000, while her successor, a white woman, was paid $80,000, per the lawsuit.
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Elsewhere in the lawsuit, Robinson alleged that his employment was terminated in February after Chiefs executive vice president of administration Kirsten Krug accused him of attacking a colleague, Melissa Weinsz. Robinson says he was called into Krug’s office and told she had seen the attack via security footage but refused to share the video with him. He claims that Weinsz was subsequently installed as director of player engagement “within days” of his termination.
Us Weekly has reached out to the Chiefs for comment. On Wednesday night, the team’s vice president of football communications, Brad Gee, told NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk via text message: “We can’t comment because it’s an active legal matter. But to be clear, the Chiefs do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. We look forward to the facts of this case coming to light.”
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Robinson is seeking $5 million, plus declaratory and equitable relief, reported The Athletic.
Robinson was the final draft pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, selected by the Detroit Lions. He was later signed by various teams, including the Philadelphia Eagles and Canada’s Saskatchewan Roughriders, before transitioning into an office role.
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