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Josh Weinfuss
TEMPE, Ariz. — A former assistant to Michael Bidwill is suing the Arizona Cardinals owner, alleging that he “unmercifully harassed” her in an effort to get her to leave the team.
Brittany Neuheisel, who was Bidwill’s assistant from 2019 until she resigned last week, is suing on claims of constructive discharge, wrongful discharge, discrimination and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The 11-page complaint was filed Thursday in the Superior Court of Maricopa County.
According to the complaint, Bidwill was demeaning to Neuheisel and would verbally abuse her “almost every day.” Neuheisel left the Cardinals nine days ago and walked out crying after “Bidwill screamed at her for over a half hour,” her attorney, Mike Caspino, told ESPN.
Among the many allegations in the lawsuit, Neuheisel says Bidwill demanded that she disavow her children and grandchildren and that he told Neuheisel that her relationships were “affecting her work performance.”
Neuheisel says Bidwill asked her to make multiple false claims, including shipping a firearm through FedEx to an acquaintance. Neuheisel says she told Bidwill of the restrictions on shipping firearms but that Bidwill allegedly told Neuheisel “to proceed with the shipment.” Bidwill also allegedly asked Neuheisel to “provide false information” on federal and international forms that were related to his travel by private plane, according to the lawsuit. When Neuheisel objected, Bidwill would allegedly tell Neuheisel, a practicing Catholic, “Do it and then go to confession.”
The lawsuit says Bidwill wanted to replace Neuheisel, a 54-year-old Navy veteran, with someone who was “young, beautiful and athletic.” After the Cardinals hired a woman who fit those descriptions, the lawsuit alleges that Neuheisel’s role was diminished and that duties she typically had done were taken over by the new hire.
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The Cardinals disputed Neuheisel’s claims.
“Earlier this week, the Cardinals received an email from a California-based plaintiff’s lawyer,” a team spokesman said in a statement. “In it, he threatened to file a lawsuit unless the team agreed to his demand for a substantial amount of money by 5:00PM the next day. The team refused and the lawyer has now filed the Complaint.
“The Cardinals were surprised by and strongly deny the allegations made in this lawsuit and intend to defend the case on its merits in the appropriate forum. As this is now pending litigation, the team will refrain from further comment.”
Caspino responded to the Cardinals’ statement, saying his request was part of the process.
“We always engage in pre-litigation settlement discussions,” Caspino told ESPN. “In fact, judges expect us to do so. This is the practice of all competent lawyers. In the case of Ms. Neuheisel, our settlement efforts were rebuffed by Bidwill and the Cardinals.”
The lawsuit is seeking a jury trial with a goal of damages, which were not specified.
ESPN investigated the Cardinals’ workplace culture under Bidwill in 2023 after it came under scrutiny following accusations made by Terry McDonough, the team’s former vice president of player personnel, who filed an arbitration complaint that accused the Cardinals and Bidwill of gross misconduct, including discrimination and harassment, among other allegations.
In April, the Cardinals were ordered by an NFL arbitrator to pay McDonough $3 million for “false and defamatory” statements the team made about him to the media.
Days later, McDonough’s wife and daughter filed a lawsuit for defamation, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress against the Cardinals, Bidwill and others connected to the team.
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