The arbitration claim filed earlier this week by former Cardinals executive Terry McDonough makes reference to multiple other employees who allegedly were mistreated by team owner Michael Bidwill. The next question becomes whether one or more of those other employees will come forward.
In his arbitration claim, McDonough accuses Bidwill of “curs[ing] and berat[ing] a young African American employee in a racially charged manner,” “creat[ing] an environment of fear for minority employees,” and “reduc[ing] to tears two pregnant employees as a result of his abusive and bullying mistreatment.”
It’s an important question because, if the complaints continue, the league may appoint someone like Mary Jo White to investigate.
And, in hindsight, it’s possible that the over-the-top public response to McDonough’s claim doubled as a warning shot to anyone else who might dare to stand up for themselves against the team, and against Bidwill.
Those names could emerge in the arbitration process, regardless of whether the employees come forward. They also could be witnesses, depending on there breadth of the internal procedures.
But, again, NFL teams benefit greatly from an in-house system that happens under the auspices of the Commissioner or his designee. Even if the arbitration happens to uncover hard evidence of other employees with tangible complaints, there’s no vehicle for that evidence ever seeing the light of day. And there’s no path to the kind of true public accountability that would force the NFL to do something other than turn the page.