Ex-employee Terry McDonough files lawsuit against Cardinals, Michael Bidwill

Former Cardinals employee Terry McDonough recently saw his arbitration case against the team and owner Michael Bidwill end. After being awarded $3M due to the Cardinals’ statement against him last year stemming from his other allegations, the matter could now proceed in court.

CBS Sports ' Jonathan Jones notes that McDonough has filed a lawsuit against the Cardinals, Bidwill, the third-party PR firm Counterpoint Strategies and others. The suit comes after an NFL arbitrator ruled the team’s statement against him was “false and defamatory,” resulting in the awarding of punitive damages, awards for emotional distress and damages to McDonough’s reputation.

“We are aware of the complaint but have no additional comment as it is an active legal matter,” the Cardinals said in a response to the situation (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk).

The arbitration case against Bidwill and the Cardinals did not result in damages owing to the team’s dismissal of McDonough in January 2023. That decision — which ended his 10-year run with the organization during which he served as a high-ranking executive — was argued by McDonough to be retribution for his stance against the usage of burner phones with then-suspended general manager Steve Keim and head coach Steve Wilks (among other allegations). The latter’s legal situation appears to have a connection to this latest McDonough development.

Mike Jurecki of Arizona Football Daily reports McDonough is prepared to continue his legal action until Wilks succeeds in his involvement in the ongoing Brian Flores-led racial discrimination lawsuit. Wilks became a complainant in that case to argue for wrongful termination stemming from his dismissal after a single season at the helm of the Cardinals in 2018. Portions of the suit will be allowed to proceed in open court, but Wilks’ allegations will be tested in arbitration.

As Jurecki (who has reported other ex-Cardinals staffers received an award in addition to McDonough) notes, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell‘s mentor was Will McDonough. That could grant Terry McDonough, Will’s son, direct access to Goodell and thus help his chances of receiving further compensation from the Cardinals. In any event, this case and that of Wilks will remain an off-field storyline for Arizona for the foreseeable future.