Davante Adams, Raiders, Chiefs sued by photographer he shoved after game in 2022

Las Vegas Raiders v Kansas City Chiefs
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The photographer who Davante Adams shoved has filed a lawsuit against the Raiders receiver as well as the Raiders and the Chiefs, the Kansas City Star reports.

Park Zebley filed the lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri, saying he was diagnosed with concussion symptoms. He also claims he feared for his life, receiving death threats after his contact information was circulated online.

The suit also names the Jackson Sports Complex Authority and Landmark Event Staffing Services as defendants.

Following the 30-29 loss to the Chiefs at GEHA Field on Oct. 10, Adams pushed Zebley as he crossed paths with the 20-year-old. Zebley was a University of Missouri-Kansas City student carrying video equipment for a local production company contracted with ESPN to cover the game.

The incident was caught by television cameras.

He was charged with one count of misdemeanor assault in Kansas City municipal court, and his next appearance is scheduled for a hearing June 26.

“A municipal misdemeanor battery charge is not sufficient,” Zebley said in a statement to The Star. “I’m looking for justice. You can’t shove someone down and walk off like it didn’t happen. Not in real life.”

The NFL did not suspend Adams for the incident, which Adams was asked about Thursday before the filing of the lawsuit.

“I mean, I wouldn’t look at the KC incident as something that – I don’t want to say I didn’t learn from it because that makes it sound like I’m not remorseful and stuff like that — but it was just an instance,” Adams told reporters in Las Vegas. “It’s not something that I needed that to happen for me to know that was not the right thing to do. So, it was just something that happened.”

Adams apologized to Zebley after the incident.

67 responses to “Davante Adams, Raiders, Chiefs sued by photographer he shoved after game in 2022

  1. Adams deserves to be suspended at least a game for that petty behavior. The student didn’t do anything wrong, Adams was just mad that the game had just ended with him and his teammates having a typical Raiders circus clown moment.

  2. I hear the law firm representing this guy is called: I Can’t Believe It’s a Law Firm

  3. Soft. Let me stick a camera in this clearly agitated man’s face and expect him to not react in a negative way.

  4. Interesting how the same teams are always involved with off field issues.

  5. Park Zebley, fighting for justice! How about you just admit you’re looking for a payday.

  6. It looked like a flop in basketball 🏀 everyone’s out for the mighty dollar.

  7. It will end with a settlement, obviously. He’ll get paid and that will be that. As for Adams, that isn’t ‘just something that happened’. Tripping over a cable is just something that happened. Accidentally running into someone is just something that happened. Pushing down a guy doing his job is SOMETHING HE DID!!!! And he should have been suspended for longer than a football player gambling on college games from an NFL property. That didn’t happen, and he’ll get no punishment in a criminal case, but he better at LEAST have to pay up!!! Especially since he refuses to take it seriously, or take any accountability.

  8. Anybody in this comment section that’s acting like they wouldn’t do the same thing if they got pushed by him after a game is a liar. A flat out, dirty, rotten liar.

  9. Of course he is. Him and some low life attorney trying to get a bag of cash.

  10. Overrated garbage time Davante Adams should have been suspended indefinitely for that ridiculous punk attitude move.

  11. Sounds like a thin skinned opportunist. Stretching his 15 seconds of fame to its limits.

  12. Watch the shove. Photographer was charging in with his head down and was going to collide with Adams. Why does Adams have to stop for some kid blocking his way to the locker room? Why does that kid have the right of way? His job was to photograph the players, not run into them off the field. It’s arguable Adams could have felt “in danger”.

    Lame situation all around, especially those calling for a suspension. Give me a break.

  13. Davante Adams is a terrible influence and should be banned from the NFL for life. The guy is not even that good. His ego is bigger than his brain. I hope he has to pay the maximum amount and Goodell does the right thing and suspend him for a season.

  14. The guy was walking east and west a crossed a north and south field exit. I get it but don’t act like you were doing something normal, you walked right into a multimillion-dollar asset.

  15. This kid wants to talk about what’s supposed to happen in real life as he and his legal team spin a tale of supposed mental anguish over getting pushed on his bum by a big mean man. Y’all have a whale in your sights. Just admit it.

  16. Should be a rule that If you sue someone and fail the lawyer doesn’t get paid 1 cent.

  17. Suing the teams involved makes it way too obvious it’s a money grab. The grifters he hired need more practice in the art of subtlety

  18. Please. Concussion symptoms are highly doubtful. If his contact info was circulated online, that’s brutal, but I don’t think he can show his life was in danger.

    The crazy part is he was actually assaulted. He should have pursued charges at the time. Suing now is lame!

  19. Suing Adams, the Chiefs and the Raiders.
    He should sue his parents for raising such a petulant brat…

    If I’m the University of Missouri, I’d expel him before he decides to sue the school for some trivial grievance.

  20. birdperson says:
    May 26, 2023 at 4:16 pm
    Anybody in this comment section that’s acting like they wouldn’t do the same thing if they got pushed by him after a game is a liar. A flat out, dirty, rotten liar.

    ———–

    I don’t think that’s true. I think many people would have pursued criminal charges because they were assaulted doing their job and might have sued their own employer for not providing a safe work environment, but I don’t think many people would have waited almost a year and sued everyone for concussion symptoms and online threats. That all seems ridiculous.

  21. Why not sue for workers compensation? It was an on the job injury, right? The company sent you there, right?

    Dude, you’re missing out on more free cash!

  22. Lawsuit lotto.
    Watch where you’re going next time and don’t cut across the path where players are running off the field when you’re not even permitted to be there. Doofus Gen-Zer.

  23. He deserves to get sued and should have been suspended longer. He’s punk that should be in jail to be honest. Embarrassed his team, franchise and if my kids were Raiders fans, I would be pissed. Completely unacceptable. Kids today just need a punch in the mouth too much talk behind ur keyboard.

  24. I remember watching that incident happen.

    People seem to forget that football players are very large, very strong people. That guy went down like a ton of bricks, and Adams just walked away as if nothing had happened.

    If you were on a street and someone approached you and shoved you to the ground, causing a concussion, you’d be pressing charges.

  25. When you have no skills or talent, want to be wealthy, you play the lottery a lot and hope you get in a situation where you can sue someone. Scammers, people like him, are why all of our insurance rates are so high.

  26. Watching at the time it did look risky for Adams in America’s court system that loves a professional victim. There has to be some common sense eventually. No harm done. No need for a case of any kind.

  27. Dang charliecharger, you can’t even see the irony in your words.

  28. He’s crying due to death threats ?? What did he expect in this day and age. The lawsuit is frivolous because he wasn’t injured anywhere’s he’s claiming. Enjoy your civil suit money, hope it’s worth your trouble Karen !!

  29. We lost! I’ve NEVER been asked to act like an adult because I can catch a ball. Boo hoo! I hope the photographer gets everything he wants and then some. Quit defending somebody just because he’s an athlete. He’s an overgrown baby that’s never been taught that there are consequences for your actions.

  30. When the judge finds out Adams offered him 10K to settle and he decided to pursue a lawsuit instead – he should lose and have to pay Adams’ court costs as a penalty for bringing a frivolous lawsuit. Ridiculous.

  31. Zebley was just doing his job trying to get in position with his equipment. Adams didn’t like that Zebley passed within arm’s reach in front of him so Adams assaulted him. Adams’ mumbling little non-apology afterwards and the fact that the league did nothing about it made the lawsuit inevitable.

  32. First, the photographer did run right across in front of Adams, quite close to Adams (obviously). Two, Adams shoved him and he fell. But it certainly wasn’t some sort of violent head hits the turf thing. The film don’t lie. Third, Adams should not have shoved him. It’s simply not acceptable. Lastly, just look who he sued. Adams, the Raiders, the Chiefs, AND Jackson Sports Complex Authority and Landmark Event Staffing Services? How are they, in anyway, responsible for one man’s actions? What should they have done differently? Maybe kept the media off the field? Yeah…umm…no. This is nothing but a money grab. He should be ashamed of himself. It’s a classic example of why this country is lawsuit happy. Frivolous as they come. He should be charged with wasting tax payers money for filing such a lawsuit.

  33. Suing the Chiefs for kicking the Raiders butt so bad that Adams got mad????

  34. Adams suspended fer a yea? indefinitely? Not Raider Haters or anything lol? Plllenty of as bad or worse things have transpired and they got off or got away or however ys choose to phrase. He wasn’t reprimanded then, shouldn’t happen now.

    Was he assaulted? Sure you could def say that. But any sensible jury would see it was an angry person who saw someone coming at him. People here acting like they never did something stupid in heat of the moment. Give dude a few dozen grand (because Adams can afford it) and let’s move the heck on..

    And why dude didn’t tap into workman’s comp is curious
    . Unless he did n wasn’t stayed. That would most like have helped his situation in a few ways. Ah well, suing everybody in his scope could backfire in future. Folks might not want a sue happy individual on their hands.

  35. Wonder why he didn’t include the nfl in his suit.. Or maybe that would have mitigated it to the kangaroo court lol

  36. vernlempshki says:
    May 26, 2023 at 4:38 pm

    Should be a rule that If you sue someone and fail the lawyer doesn’t get paid 1 cent.

    ————————————————————————————–

    Guess you’re not familiar with lawyers taking cases on contingency (as is likely the case here). The lawyer doesn’t get paid if they don’t win.

  37. yajas says:
    Zebley was just doing his job trying to get in position with his equipment.
    ================================
    You are so wrong. The dude ran in front of Adams. If it goes to court he won’t receive 1 cent. His only chance is to settle out of court. It’s a blatant MONEY GRAB.
    I hope D Adams fights it.

  38. everyonestillcallsthemtheRedskins says:
    May 26, 2023 at 4:28 pm
    Davante Adams is a terrible influence and should be banned from the NFL for life. The guy is not even that good. His ego is bigger than his brain. I hope he has to pay the maximum amount and Goodell does the right thing and suspend him for a season
    ——————————————————
    Not even that good? I guess leading the NFL in TD catches and 3rd most in receiving yards for the 2022 season sucks. Right? Anyone can be voted to play in six straight Pro Bowls as well. Right? Push a videographer down and now all Adam’s help supporting Feeding America and Make-A-Wish are worthless. Right?

  39. Adams was wrong, HOWEVA! he was definitely trying to get in adams way to agitate him. Go look at the video. It’s blatantly obvious.

  40. This kid Ran into Adams and Adams pushed him away, then he took the softest fall in history with his head never hitting anything and got up and ran off like nothing happened. 100% money grab.

  41. yajas says:
    Zebley was just doing his job trying to get in position with his equipment.
    ================================
    Tony Awesome says:
    You are so wrong. The dude ran in front of Adams. If it goes to court he won’t receive 1 cent. His only chance is to settle out of court. It’s a blatant MONEY GRAB.
    I hope D Adams fights it.
    ================================
    The dude ran in front of Adams with his equipment in the course of trying to do his job. That doesn’t give Adams the right to assault the guy like he did. Zebley absolutely will get money for this.
    By your logic, if your wife accidentally runs into a stock boy in a grocery aisle with her cart, he’d have the right to throw her halfway down the aisle.

  42. If he sues for anything less than 500 billion dollars, I am going to be very disappointed. Brian Davis, eat your heart out.

  43. I’ve worked in insurance claims long enough to see trends. When I started over 20 years ago, 25-33% would get an attorney. Nowadays, it’s closer to 67%. People are more willing to get back surgeries questionably necessary by anyone but the treating doctors. More often than not the treating physicians include pain management companies who will happily cut and inject you and work with attorneys to bill insurers 5x what these procedures should reasonably cost and cut deals that they will then take 25-50 cents on the dollar.

    In these regards, our society is going off the rails and we’re lining personal injuries pockets for doing next to nothing. It’s their paralegals that do 80% of the work. Unfortunately, the “news” and the attorneys love to tout their victories and large jury verdicts. People see these stories and get envious and their eyes turn to dollar signs. And admittedly insurance companies help fund the problem but if they don’t settle some of these claims and lawsuits, they risk the madness of juries who think nothing of awarding crazy dollars. If the insurance companies are not careful, they expose their insured and then get sued for bad faith for not settling within policy limits. Google recent large jury awards and see what you get! People are coming after everything you and businesses have and feel no shame about it. Be mindful your insurance limits are adequate to protect what you’ve spent your life trying to build.

  44. I’m pretty sure Zebley or ESPN for him signed a waiver that its risky to be on the field. He was in someone’s way and they shoved him. It was not polite but it was not a big deal.

  45. It was assault, but the guy was carrying equipment in away that impeded Adams safety.

  46. The camera guy has every right to sue whoever he wants, but this screams cast a large net and hopefully somebody gives me a huge payday so I’ll just go away type of situation. If he was truly injured sue Davante. The tv tape shows it all with multiple angles with slow mo if you want it. As far as death threats, being doxed, and fearing for your life, go sue the people who were doing that to you online or in real life. I know that would require actual work by your ambulance chasing lawyer and probably be would be impossible to find out the identies of the ones who did it, but what does suing the Raiders and Chiefs have to do with what happened to you outside of the work place? This is a one on one deal between Park and Davante, fine. As far as all of the online stuff, that’s on you to find the perpetrators. This is why this is a cash grab. Park is only going after easy targets with money, he is even going after targets that have no control of how Davante reacts to having some tool with a camera jump in front of him blocking the only exit off of the field to the locker room.

  47. I was on this guy’s side when I read about death threats & contact info circulating online but when I read he wants justice for a little push…nah man, it’s not that deep. Don’t compare it to someone who was actually assaulted & actually had their life at risk. A millionaire pushed you & you’re looking for a handout. I get it. I ain’t mad at ya. But let’s stop with the “this is a SERIOUS crime” rhetoric.

  48. Well it’s about time, davante straight up assaulted him. Thats a crime. And since nothing has been pursued, he has it coming. Welcome to America.

  49. We have some people here who seem to believe that it is alright to go around pushing people for whatever reason. Laying your hands on another person is an assault an assault under criminal law and a battery under civil law. It is also not acceptable in a civilized society.

  50. I hope this dude lightens Adams pocket by about $10mil!

    BTW when is Kamara going to prison?

  51. Davante Adams is a terrible influence and should be banned from the NFL for life. The guy is not even that good. His ego is bigger than his brain. I hope he has to pay the maximum amount and Goodell does the right thing and suspend him for a season.

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