Jim Trotter Sues The NFL

HBCU alumnus and longtime journalist filed a "retaliation lawsuit" against the National Football League.

Howard University alum and longtime respected journalist Jim Trotter makes a bold "David versus Goliath" statement with his lawsuit against his former employer, the NFL Network, and Commissioner Roger Goodell.   Trotter filed a retaliation lawsuit in the United States District Court for the South District of New York against the National Football League and NFL Network.   The Athletic sports writer confirmed with HBCU Legends that he is being represented by Wigdor LLP.

In February, Trotter's contract was not renewed after he questioned Commissioner Roger Goodell about the lack of newsroom diversity at two consecutive Super Bowl press conferences. Trotter referred to his "reasons for filing a retaliation lawsuit against the NFL run deep."

Feb 8, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; NFL Network reporter Jim Trotter at press conference at Phoenix Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Trotter posted the following reasons for the lawsuit: The NFL has claimed it wants to be held accountable regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. I tried to do so, and it cost me my job. I'm filing this lawsuit because I can't complain about things that are wrong if I'm unwilling to fight for what is right."

He added, "I hope this lawsuit leads to real change across the league and in the newsroom. It is on the back of a majority black player population that owners have made billions, and those players deserve to have someone who shares their cultural and life experiences at the table when decisions are being made about how they are being covered."

Trotter's legal filing alleged troubling statements about black players made by NFL owners Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys) and Terry Pegula (Buffalo Bills):

1. Terry Pegula: "If the Black players don't like it here, they should go back to Africa and see how bad it is," in reference to player protests against racial injustice in the country.
2. Jerry Jones: "If Blacks feel some kind of way, they should buy their own team and hire who they want to hire," in response to a "question posed by Mr. Trotter regarding the dearth of Black professionals in decision-making positions for NFL teams."

ESPN reports that Terry Pegula "denies making the statement." His official response stated, "The statement attributed to me in Mr. Trotter's complaint is absolutely false. I am horrified that anyone would connect me to an allegation of this kind. Racism has no place in our society, and I am personally disgusted that my name is associated with this complaint."

No comment has been released by Jerry Jones or the Dallas Cowboys organization regarding Trotter's allegations in the lawsuit. Trotter believes the treatment he received from the NFL "is consistent with a documented history of silencing, retaliating against and 'blackballing' Black men who speak out about such conduct. This is the NFL's modus operandi and part of the fabric of the league."

Jim Trotter is a graduate of one of the most prestigious Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who has recently been honored by the Pro Football Writers Association and National Association of Black Journalists with lifetime achievement awards. He's been a staunch advocate for minority players, media professionals, and HBCU student-athletes, especially at the NFL Network. His discourse on discriminatory practices and racism in sports has ruffled the feathers of the NFL's status quo.

Often, Jim would deliver a lucid and poignant on topics that challenged the sports' status quo. His dialogue was sometimes masterful and not over the top as some of his contemporaries.

"They don't let you get close to the Commissioner often enough to actually have these dialogues," Trotter said to Richard Deitsch from The Athletic. "So, I knew that I had asked him about it the year before, and I knew that there had been no progress. No real progress as it related to the areas that I asked him about a year earlier. And so I felt that it was important to ask him in that situation because it's not something that I haven't brought up internally over the course of the last year with the powers that be at the media group." SI.com

The NFL, NFL Media, and Commissioner Roger Goodell's office have yet to respond officially.