A former ᴀssistant of Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill alleges in a new lawsuit that she was “unmercifully harᴀssed” and forced to resign last week.
Brittany Neuheisel made the allegations in an 11-page complaint filed on Thursday to the Superior Court of Maricopa County in Arizona.
She accused the owner of constructive discharge, wrongful discharge, discrimination, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Neuheisel, 54, alleges Bidwill verbally abused her “almost every day” and “was continuously tormented for failing to disavow members of her own family and for refusing to participate in illegal conduct,” NBC reported.
She also left the franchise in tears after the owner “screamed at her for over a half hour,” her attorney, Mike Caspino, told ESPN.
Additionally, Neuheisel, who was an ᴀssistant for Bidwill after he purchased the team in 2019, alleges the owner had asked her to make several false claims, including that she was tasked to ship a firearm through FedEx to an acquaintance, and “provide false information” on federal and international forms related to Bidwill’s travels by private plane.
Per the lawsuit, any time Neuheisel, a Catholic and Navy veteran, objected, Bidwill would say “Do it and then go to confession.”
NBC also reported that the former ᴀssistant alleges she was involved in his “petty battles.”
The lawsuit further detailed that Bidwill wanted to hire a replacement for Neuheisel — someone who was “young, beautiful and athletic.”
Bidwill hired a woman who fit the description, and Neuheisel’s role seemingly diminished following the recruitment, she alleges.
According to NBC, Neuheisel alleges Bidwell used “outrageous conduct” to get her to leave the job.
The Cardinals have dismissed Neuheisel’s accusations.
“Earlier this week, the Cardinals received an email from a California-based plaintiff’s lawyer,” a team spokesman said in a statement. “In it, he threatened to file a lawsuit unless the team agreed to his demand for a substantial amount of money by 5:00 p.m. the next day. The team refused and the lawyer has now filed the Complaint.
“The Cardinals were surprised by and strongly deny the allegations made in this lawsuit and intend to defend the case on its merits in the appropriate forum. As this is now pending litigation, the team will refrain from further comment.”
Neuheisel’s lawyer responded to the team’s statement, explaining that his request was a part of the process.
“We always engage in pre-litigation settlement discussions,” Caspino told ESPN. “In fact, judges expect us to do so. This is the practice of all competent lawyers. In the case of Ms. Neuheisel, our settlement efforts were rebuffed by Bidwill and the Cardinals.”
Neuheisel’s seeking an unspecified amount of damages.
Thursday’s lawsuit unfolding is not the first to hit the Cardinals in recent years.
The franchise’s workplace environment was formally investigated by ESPN in 2023 after former VP of player personnel, Terry McDonough, accused both the Cardinals and Bidwill of discrimination and harᴀssment.
The NFL later ordered the Cardinals to pay McDonough $3 million for the “false and defamatory” statements that the team made to the media.
McDonough’s family then followed with another lawsuit, accusing the franchise, Bidwell and more of defamation, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
