The NFL may be in some hot water after what one female referee had to say about how the league treated her. In fact, a massive lawsuit has been filed and is now public information.
Here are the accusations against the NFL.
Feb 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, US; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell walks on the sideline before Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Feb 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, US; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell walks on the sideline before Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Female Referee Sues NFL After Being Fired
One of the first three women to officiate an NFL game, Robin DeLorenzo, has filed a discrimination lawsuit against the league for alleged sexism.
According to the lawsuit, DeLorenzo was subjected to “gender-based scrutiny, humiliation, and hostility” during her tenure as an NFL official from 2022 to 2025:
“[DeLorenzo] worked her way through two decades of officiating — breaking barriers, making history, and outperforming expectations at every level — only to be met with hostility, retaliation, and systemic inequality the moment she stepped into a league that claims to champion opportunities for women,” the lawsuit reads.
“Instead of supporting one of the only women on its officiating staff, the NFL exposed her to unchecked harassment, denied her the resources given to men, manipulated her training and grading opportunities, and ultimately ended her career based on tainted evaluations created by the very people who discriminated against her,” it said.
Dec 22, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; NFL line judge Robin DeLorenzo (134) gestures during the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Las Vegas Raiders Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Dec 22, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; NFL line judge Robin DeLorenzo (134) gestures during the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Las Vegas Raiders Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
In the lawsuit she says there was a “pattern of discriminatory indignities” that started when she was given an ill-fitting man-sized uniform. She was also instructed to show off her pony tail through her hat to emphasize it was a female referee. The repeated demands reportedly made her want to “cut her hair off.”
The lawsuit later continued to state that during a Pittsburgh Steelers’ training camp former head coach Mike Tomlin said to “put on an utterly humiliating singing performance,” indicating she was an NFL rookie. The incident compounded her ongoing emotional distress and made her work environment extremely uncomfortable.
The suit also said she was exposed to harassment and derogatory remarks from her crew chief. That same crew chief had previously been accused of mistreating another female employee. By the end of the year the same crew chief “refused to speak to her.”
The entire accusation contains some rather disturbing details that, if true, could spell trouble for the league. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
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