Amid an intense climate around sexual assault and sexual harassment in the workplace, the NFL Network has suspended football analysists Heath Evans, Marshall Faulk, and Ike Taylor for alleged sexual harassment. The network announced this past Monday the three will be suspended from the network pending an investigation.
Former NFL Network wardrobe stylist, Jami Cantor had made the damning allegations against the men along with former analysts Donavan McNabb and NFL Hall of Famer Warren Sapp in a lawsuit involving NFL Enterprises in Los Angeles Superior Court this past October. She accuses them and the NFL of, according to The New York Times, “age and sex discrimination, sexual harassment and hostile work environment, and wrongful termination, among other complaints.”
In a report from the Times, Cantor stated in the lawsuit that each of the men made blatant sexual advances towards her. By her account, Faulk allegedly “asked personal questions about her sex life, fondled her and pulled out his genitals while demanding oral sex”, Taylor allegedly sent her a graphic video of him masturbating, and Evans allegedly sent her nude pictures.
Eric Weinberger, president of the Bill Simmons Media Group and former NFL Network executive was suspended from the company because he was also mentioned in the lawsuit. He is accused of allegedly groping her and putting his crotch against her during his time at the network. He left in 2015.
In a statement from a spokesperson from BSMG, the company states that he will be suspended while conducting their own investigation on the accusations. “These are very serious and disturbing allegations that we were made aware of today,” a spokesman for the Bill Simmons Media Group said in a statement. “We are placing Eric on leave indefinitely until we have a better understanding of what transpired during his time at the N.F.L., and we will conduct our own internal investigation.”
Cantor’s lawyer, Laura Horton reveals in a recent interview that the supervisors were all aware of the sexual advances at the company. “The supervisors knew about it, the supervisors observed it,” Horton stated. “It was insidious in this particular environment.”
The NFL Network has yet to comment beyond its statement. None of the accused men have yet responded to the allegations or suspensions.
Source: nytimes.com
