KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A former NFL defensive back is suing the Kansas City Chiefs for wrongful termination from his job as director of player engagement after accusing the franchise of discriminating against him because he is Black.
Ramzee Robinson, who spent nine years with the Chiefs, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri on Sunday.
In the lawsuit, Robinson claims that he was called into a meeting in February and accused of attacking a female co-worker, and that Chiefs refused to show him security video of the encounter. Robinson ultimately was fired from his position, which involved locker room management, mentorship and other responsibilities within the team.
The lawsuit claims that Robinson was paid a salary of $125,000 by the Chiefs, but that his research found other NFL teams paid comparable positions an average salary of $171,932, not including other benefits. It also claims that “the Chiefs paid African-American business employees less than their white counterparts.”
Chiefs spokesman Brad Gee told The Associated Press on Wednesday that while he could not comment on pending legal matters, “to be clear, the Chiefs do not tolerate discrimination of any kind.”
“We look forward to the facts of this case coming to light,” Gee said.
The 41-year-old Robinson was the final player chosen in the 2007 draft by Detroit. He played in 19 games over two seasons for the Lions, then appeared in three games for Philadelphia and four for Cleveland in 2009. He never played for the Chiefs.
