The Battle Begins: NFL Responds to Jim Trotter’s Lawsuit

The NFL has officially joined the battle over the lawsuit filed by reporter Jim Trotter after his employment was terminated. After failing to secure a full dismissal, the league was required to file a formal response to Trotter’s civil complaint, known as an answer. PFT has obtained a copy of this document, filed last Friday.

Understanding the Answer Document

• Structure: The answer is a lengthy document responding to each of the 239 numbered paragraphs in Trotter’s complaint.
• Responses: The NFL either admits, denies, or claims insufficient information to respond to each allegation.
• Affirmative Defenses: The league lists 18 defenses, a standard practice to preserve all potential defenses.

Key Points of the NFL’s Defense

• Legitimate Reasons for Termination: The NFL’s sixth defense claims Trotter’s termination was due to unsatisfactory work performance, industry changes, and budgetary constraints, not retaliation.
• Implications for Discovery: This claim opens the door for Trotter’s lawyer to aggressively pursue evidence regarding Trotter’s work performance, including performance reviews and any communication about his performance.

Potential Deposition Questions

• “Please identify all evidence supporting your opinion that Mr. Trotter’s work performance was unsatisfactory.”
• “Please identify all efforts to communicate to Mr. Trotter that his work performance was unsatisfactory.”

Next Steps in the Litigation

• Discovery Process: Both sides will have several months for discovery, including gathering documents related to Trotter’s performance.
• Motion for Summary Judgment: The NFL will have a deadline for this motion, with subsequent dates for Trotter’s response and the NFL’s reply.
• Trial Date: A preliminary trial date could be set 12 to 18 months out.
• Mediation Requirement: Both sides must submit to mediation to attempt a settlement before continuing in court.

Core of the Case

Trotter argues that the NFL wanted to extend his contract until he pressed Commissioner Roger Goodell about equity and diversity issues during Super Bowl LVII press conferences. Trotter contends that this confrontation led the NFL to change its mind about renewing his contract.

Conclusion

Jim Trotter’s case has finally moved past the initial stages, and the litigation will proceed through discovery, potentially involving high-profile depositions, including that of Commissioner Goodell. The coming months will reveal more details as both sides prepare for a possible trial.