Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Reacts to NFL Racism Lawsuit Accusation
FRISCO - Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is responding to a race-related accusation by a former NFL.com columnist, calling the charge “simply not accurate.”
The charge: Jim Trotter claims that when he questioned Jones on the issue of the lack of Blacks in NFL decision-making jobs, Jones’ response was, “If Blacks feel some kind of way, they should buy their own team and hire who they want to hire.”
Said Jones in a statement: “Diversity and inclusion are extremely important to me personally and to the NFL. The representation made by Jim Trotter of a conversation that occurred over three years ago with myself and our VP of Player Personnel Will McClay is simply not accurate.”
Trotter on Tuesday filed his discrimination lawsuit against the NFL, which issues an assortment of race-based allegations against a number of team owners.
The suit mentions the infamous and alleged “inmates” remark from Bob McNair, the late Houston Texans founder. It also features an accusation that Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula remarked to colleagues that unhappy players should “go back to Africa.”
The full and incendiary alleged Pegula quote, stemming from some players’ recent sociopolitical views …
“If the Black players don't like it here, they should go back to Africa and see how bad it is.”
The Bills issued a statement from Pegula on Tuesday, denying the lawsuit's allegations: 'The statement attributed to me in Mr. Trotter's complaint is absolutely false. I am horrified that anyone would connect me to an allegation of this kind. Racism has no place in our society and I am personally disgusted that my name is associated with the complaint.”
The lawsuit was filed in a New York federal court on the heels of Trotter having recently been fired by the NFL’s media arm.
The lawsuit claims Trotter’s dismissal was in retaliation for him publicly questioning commissioner Roger Goodell on the league's perceived lack of minority hiring.
