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NFL, American Football Herren, USA Super Bowl Host Committee Handoff press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz Feb 13, 2023 Phoenix, AZ, USA Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell, at the Super Bowl Host Committee Handoff press conference at the Phoenix Convention Center. Phoenix Phoenix Convention Center Arizona United States, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKirbyxLeex 20230213_tbs_al2_011
via Imago
NFL, American Football Herren, USA Super Bowl Host Committee Handoff press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz Feb 13, 2023 Phoenix, AZ, USA Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell, at the Super Bowl Host Committee Handoff press conference at the Phoenix Convention Center. Phoenix Phoenix Convention Center Arizona United States, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKirbyxLeex 20230213_tbs_al2_011
The Arizona Cardinals‘ offseason brought with it a major hiccup. Amid the rebuilding of the roaster, the franchise owner is in the docks. And he has been taken there by a former Cardinals executive. Former Vice President of the franchise has accused the owner of hatching a conspiracy and has knocked on the door of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Steve McDonough spent five years with the Cardinals from 2014 to 2019. Now that the arbitration claim has reached Goodell, he will decide on the next course of action. But what exactly are the allegations?
Steve McDonough reaches the court of Roger Goodell
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Former Cardinals Vice President Steve McDonough has filed an arbitration claim with Roger Goodell. In the petition, he accused franchise owner Michael Bidwill of cheating. McDonough also claims that Bidwill discriminated against him and harassed him when he sought to avoid participation in the owner’s plan.
“The former Cardinals executive Terry McDonough filed an arbitration claim with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, alleging and accusing the Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill of cheating, discrimination and harassment. It’s a long-detailed petition in which he spells out all the ways in which he believes Michael Bidwill has done wrong, including using burner phones during the suspension of the former Cardinals general manager Steve Keim….. McDonough claims Bidwill hatched a plan for all of them to communicate during Keim’s suspension,” reported NFL insider Adam Schefter on ESPN’s NFL Live.The Cardinals had suspended then-GM Keim in July 2018 after he pleaded guilty to extreme DUI in Arizona. McDonough claims that Bidwill violated the terms of suspension and used burner phones to communicate with Keim. He also said that he and head coach Steve Wilks had no choice but to follow orders after initial disagreement.
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The Cardinals have responded with a long letter in which they have denied the allegations. But the right place to respond will be with the NFL commissioner, for which they have 20 days.
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The Cardinals respond
The Cardinals have come out with a strongly worded letter in response to Terry McDonough’s claims. In the public letter, the franchise has termed McDonough’s allegations as “disappointing, irresponsible” and “outlandish”. They have also accused their ex-VP of making an opportunistic ploy for financial gains.
For the burner phone allegations, the Cardinals said in a statement to ESPN that it was another executive who had broken the terms of Steve Keim’s suspension. According to the franchise, Bidwell retrieved the phones to stop the communications.
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The Cardinals will file their formal response to the NFL commissioner in 20 days. After that, Goodell will take a call on how to proceed with the claim. What will be the outcome of the claims? Do share your opinion in the comments.
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