Former Arizona Cardinals vice president Terry McDonough accuses owner Michael Bidwill of indecency, discrimination and cheating.
In a complaint to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, McDonough alleges that the Arizona Cardinals owner allegedly requested that he and then-head coach Steve Wilks use clandestine phones (burner-phone) to contact team general manager Steve Keim while he was suspended for five weeks by the League for pleading guilty to impaired driving charges. The events took place during the 2018 training camp.
When McDonough and Wilks went to confront Bidwill about their refusal to cooperate, the latter allegedly wrote them down for insubordination, that is, a refusal to cooperate. Subsequently, the owner would have taken sudden steps to have all communication with Keim canceled.
Terry McDonough, who lost his job with the Cardinals in 2019, also claims his owner’s attitude toward him afterwards blocked career advancement opportunities. For his part, Steve Wilks was fired from his role as head coach after his only season at the helm of the team, during which the Cards went 3-13.
McDonough claims to still be in possession of the clandestine telephone, and that he would thus be able to prove his claim.
In a press release, the Cardinals denounced the complaint made by their former vice-president, replying that it is about false, opportunistic and aimed only at financial gain.
Under the NFL’s dispute resolution protocol, the Cardinals have 20 days to formally respond to McDonough’s complaint, after which Goodell will decide whether the case merits a hearing before an arbitrator.
The complaint to the NFL also alleges the owner discriminated against pregnant employees and others from visible minorities, creating a toxic workspace.
