Ramzee Robinson, former nine year NFL defensive back who played with the Kansas City Chiefs. Now, he has counter-sued the team, alleging in part that the team committed racial discrimination. The organization is up against a potentially crippling legal blow as of this past Sunday. They filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.
Robinson, 41, most recently worked as the director of player engagement for the Chiefs. In this role, he took on leadership in the locker room and as a mentor. His influence was incredibly important in establishing a fun atmosphere for players. He claims that beyond that, he suffered discrimination inside the organization.
Robinson started his professional football career in 2007. Most had written him off years earlier as he was the last NFL Draft pick selected by the Detroit Lions, No. In two seasons with Detroit, he appeared in 19 games. In addition to those weeks in the spring league, he played in three games with the Philadelphia Eagles and four games with the Cleveland Browns in 2009.
In his suit, Robinson, who is Birddog’s vice president for inclusion and equity, claims he was underpaid for the role he filled. His salary was $125,000. This total is about $4 million less than the average salary of $171,932 for comparable positions on the other 31 National Football League teams, not counting fringe benefits. This inequity begs the question of fair and equitable treatment among similar organizations in the league.
The clash turned chronic in February after Robinson was summoned into a meeting and accused of assaulting a fellow female employee. Among his allegations, he argues that, although he requested it, he was never provided with the security video footage of the arrest. Soon after this meeting, Robinson would be fired from his position as director of player engagement.
Brad Gee, a spokesperson for the Kansas City Chiefs, responded to the lawsuit by stating, “the Chiefs do not tolerate discrimination of any kind.” He added, “We look forward to the facts of this case coming to light,” indicating that the organization is prepared to defend its stance in court.
As this case proceeds, we hope it alters the ways in which NFL teams promote diversity and equity. The potential implications would be profound for their own organizational practices. The result could have sweeping repercussions on how similar claims are handled in the world of professional sports.
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