The NFL’s private arbitration system has its limits. Terry McDonough, a former Cardinals executive, and his family have taken legal action against Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill and others over a press release issued last year. The new lawsuit is designed to avoid arbitration by the NFL.
An arbitrator recently ruled that the Cardinals must pay McDonough $3 million for false statements in the press release. The new claims go beyond the arbitration scope, which could keep the case in open court.
McDonough, his wife, and his daughter are plaintiffs. Bidwill, the Cardinals, Counterpoint Strategies (a P.R. firm), P.R. executive Jim McCarthy, Gallagher & Kennedy (a law firm), and lawyer Donald Peder Johnson are defendants.
The lawsuit alleges that McCarthy, Bidwill, and the law firm aimed to discredit McDonough by seeking damaging information about him.
McCarthy claimed he aimed to find evidence of domestic violence, infidelity, drug use, and other wrongdoing by McDonough.
The press release accused McDonough of severe domestic violence and abandoning his daughter, but the arbitration process deemed these claims false and malicious.
The lawsuit includes defamation claims by McDonough against the P.R. firm, McCarthy, and the law firm. McDonough’s wife and daughter also claim defamation against all defendants. They also make claims for negligence and emotional distress.
The lawsuit was filed in Arizona state court, where Bidwill resides. This prevents the case from being moved to federal court.
Unlike the NFL’s secretive arbitration process, many details of this case will become public records, including deposition transcripts and the arbitration hearing transcript.
