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The Arizona Cardinals are entering a new era with a new head coach and new general manager. However, serious accusations were raised against team owner Michael Bidwill by former Cardinals vice president Terry McDonough back in April.
Per ESPN, McDonough has accused Bidwill in an arbitration claim filed to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell of gross misconduct, which includes cheating, discrimination and harassment. One claim involves prohibited communication with former Cardinals general manager Steve Keim during his suspension.
In 2018, Keim was suspended five weeks and fined $200,000 after being arrested for DUI. According to McDonough, he and then-head coach Steve Wilks were instructed to use burner phones to communicate with the suspended Keim. Both objected to participate in this scheme. Because of this, McDonough claims Bidwill wrote him up for “insubordination.” The team owner “cursed at, berated, and formally reprimanded McDonough, and ultimately demoted him — irrevocably damaging the trajectory of McDonough’s 34-year career in the National Football League. Bidwill also subjected McDonough to bullying, mocking, harassing and abusive behavior.”
In response to the allegations concerning the phones, the Cardinals told ESPN that another executive “had interfered with the protocol of that suspension” and that the team had taken “additional measures.” They said Bidwell took “swift action,” directing that the phones be gathered up and “communications stopped.”
ESPN reports that McDonough still has the burner phone, which has evidence of the scandal. He also accused Bidwill of sabotaging Wilks’ job, as the former head coach was fired following just one season in Arizona. Wilks is part of the racial discrimination class action lawsuit brought forth against the league by Brian Flores.
In the filing, McDonough also claimed Bidwill “created an environment of fear for minority employees.” The grievance reportedly includes claims that the owner treated a Black employee and two pregnant women poorly — allegedly forcing the two pregnant women to tears after screaming at them with “abusive and bullying mistreatment.”
McDonough is seeking damages for breach of contract and emotional distress. In a response sent to ESPN, the Cardinals denied the allegations. They also said McDonough was insubordinate, and even had clashes with colleagues.
“We are reluctantly obliged to provide a public response along with broader context for some disappointing and irresponsible actions by Terry McDonough,” said Jim McCarthy, the external public relations adviser to the Cardinals. “Claims he has made in an arbitration filing are wildly false, reckless, and an opportunistic ploy for financial gain.
“Our position was consistent with many efforts we’ve made to accommodate Terry during his time with the team, despite difficulties in his personal life and his often volatile demeanor toward colleagues,” the statement from McCarthy said. “That’s why we are saddened to see that Terry is now lashing out at our organization with disparagements and threats that are absurdly at odds with the facts. This unnecessary and vindictive action by Terry was intended to malign his co-workers, our owner Michael Bidwill, and our team with outlandish accusations.”