Sued for sexual harassment earlier this week, Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon responded by taking a leave of absence from his current job as a member of the Seahawks’ game-day broadcasting team. However, Moon denies the allegations made against him.
“Warren Moon has yet to be served with the lawsuit filed by Wendy Haskell, but he is aware of the claims contained in it,” attorney Daniel Fears said in a statement. “Mr. Moon denies the claims by Ms. Haskell. Mr. Moon contends these claims are meritless, and he has every intention to vigorously defend himself in court.”
The statement explains that Moon requested a leave of absence because he recognizes that “his duties as a commentator on the Seattle Seahawks radio network will be impacted as he defends himself against these claims.”
While Moon has every right to defend himself against the allegations, it’s unclear how his duties for a handful of hours every weekend will be negatively impacted by the situation. The fact that he hasn’t even been served with the lawsuit means that the clock for submitting an initial response in writing to the lawsuit hasn’t even begun to tick. By the time he submits a formal answer to the civil complaint, the regular season will be over. By the time he is expected to provide testimony under oath as part of the discovery process, the postseason will be over.
Regardless, Moon has stepped aside. And he currently plans to fight the allegations. As he does, the situation will play out in the public eye, and judgments will be made in the court of public opinion.