Michael Irvin won’t be on TV this week, but he’s still making headlines.
The Hall of Fame receiver, removed from NFL Network and ESPN programming after an allegation of misconduct, has sued the accuser and Marriott over the matter.
Via TMZ.com, Irvin filed the lawsuit on Thursday afternoon. He claims the accuser and the hotel hoped to make him the next victim of “cancel culture.”
“Rash and thoughtless actions can have severe consequences,” the lawsuit contends. “Marriott [parent company of Renaissance Hotels] apparently did not appreciate these simple truths when, in a rush to judgment, its employees and management inaccurately and inflammatorily accused Mr. Irvin of misconduct to the National Football League.”
Per the lawsuits, eyewitnesses support Irvin’s contention that he “casually exchanged pleasantries” with the accuser -- a hotel employee -- “shook her hand, and went to his room alone.”
“It is clear Michael is the latest victim of our cancel culture where all it takes is an accusation to ruin a person’s life,” Irvin’s lawyer said in a statement issued to TMZ.com. “Michael looks forward to clearing his name in court and hopes the Court of public opinion will see the truth come out as well.”
Surveillance video could help clear things up, if the video is clear enough to show what did and didn’t happen.
Irvin will need something better than his own recollection to prove the case. He has said that he doesn’t fully recall what happened, and that he had been “out drinking.”