Bloomberg’s Scott Soshnick and Jordyn Holman reported a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment by multiple NFL Network analysts, including ex-players Donovan McNabb, Heath Evans, Marshall Faulk, and Ike Taylor, as well as former NFL Network executive producer Eric Weinberger, now president of The Ringer.
BREAKING: Ex @nflnetwork employee alleges sex harassment against former executive, current/former talent, including Marshall Faulk, Warren Sapp, Donovan McNabb, Ike Taylor, Heath Evans, @Ericweinberger, who now runs @BillSimmons’ The Ringer #Sportsbiz
— Scott Soshnick (@soshnick) December 12, 2017
Some of those former players have already been suspended pending an investigation:
Statement from @nflnetwork:
“Marshall Faulk, Ike Taylor, and Heath Evans have been suspended from their duties at NFL Network pending an investigation into these allegations.” #sportsbiz— Scott Soshnick (@soshnick) December 12, 2017
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A former executive producer at the National Football League’s TV network and ex-players including Marshall Faulk and Heath Evans allegedly groped and made sexually explicit comments to female colleague Jami Cantor, according to an amended complaint by Cantor, a former employee.
The allegations against the retired players and Eric Weinberger, who’s now president of sports commentator Bill Simmons’s media group, are part of a lawsuit against NFL Enterprises in Los Angeles Superior Court. The amended complaint filed Monday detailed specific acts of harassment by several individuals who aren’t named as defendants.
That full piece is obviously worth reading, and the allegations are, at face value, not good for those named in the complaint:
Cantor, a wardrobe stylist at the NFL Network, said Weinberger sent “several nude pictures of himself and sexually explicit texts” and told her she was “put on earth to pleasure me.” He also pressed his crotch against Cantor’s shoulder and asked her to touch it, according to the complaint.
She said she was also sexually harassed by on-air talent. Faulk, who’s an NFL Network analyst, would ask Cantor “deeply personal and invasive questions” about her sex life and fondled her breasts and groped her behind, according to the complaint.
UPDATE: Weinberger has been placed on leave, according to a statement from The Ringer:
https://twitter.com/kevinmdraper/status/940463134271332352
As for the former players:
Ike Taylor, also an analyst, sent Cantor “sexually inappropriate” pictures of himself and a video of him masturbating in the shower, according to the filing. Donovan McNabb, a former analyst, also texted her explicit comments, according to the compliant.
This isn’t the first issue of this kind for NFL Network; Michael Irvin is still under investigation for a separate allegation.
That the NFL Network has already suspended some of the talent involved should indicate how seriously they’re taking the allegations, and more details are likely forthcoming. Also likely forthcoming: more stories just like this one from the world of sports and sports media.
