The Arizona Cardinals have been added to the list of defendants in a lawsuit accusing the NFL of racist hiring practices.
The Cardinals say they’re confident that facts will disprove the discrimination claims by a Black coach fired after one season.
Steve Wilks was head coach of the Cardinals in 2018, when the team went 3 and 13.
Court records allege that Wilks was micromanaged and couldn’t make hiring and firing decisions about his own staff.
Key to the case will be allegations that Wilks was treated differently than white General Manager Steve Keim, who kept his job despite the team’s poor performance and a DUI conviction.
The complaint highlights team owner Michael Bidwill’s reaction to the DUI in comparison to the suspension and fine he ultimately gave Keim.
The Cardinals responded to the lawsuit, saying choices made that year were hard but entirely driven by an effort to improve the team.
