A former employee of the Arizona Cardinals has filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful termination, discrimination, and emotional distress, accusing team owner Michael Bidwill of harassment and illegal conduct.
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Brittany Neuheisel, who served as Bidwill's personal assistant from January 2019 to January 2025, claims that she was subjected to mistreatment and unfair treatment, including being harassed for not disavowing family members and for refusing to engage in illegal activities.
The 11-page lawsuit, filed Thursday in Maricopa County Superior Court, includes counts for constructive discharge, wrongful discharge, age, gender, and religion-based discrimination, as well as intentional infliction of emotional distress. Neuheisel accuses Bidwill of creating a hostile work environment and allegedly making discriminatory remarks, including stating that he wanted to replace her with someone "young, beautiful, and athletic."
Neuheisel's complaint includes allegations that Bidwill dragged her into personal family conflicts, including an incident involving the repossession of a car belonging to his niece. She also claims that she was instructed to film the car being taken away, which Bidwill planned to show to his niece. The lawsuit further alleges that Bidwill used his dog to intimidate her, ordering her to transport the animal despite the dog reportedly attacking her.
Additionally, Neuheisel claims that Bidwill frequently criticized her for her personal life, specifically her adult children and grandchildren, who lived with her. She asserts that Bidwill urged her to "kick out" her family members and see the team's psychologist to manage her home life.
Perhaps most concerning, according to Neuheisel, were her allegations of being instructed to falsify documents related to Bidwill's private travel and to ship a firearm by FedEx, ignoring federal restrictions. As a practicing Catholic, Neuheisel claims that she objected to the instructions, but Bidwill allegedly responded by telling her to "do it and then go to confession."
The lawsuit concludes with Neuheisel resigning after an incident during a playoff game in January, where she claims Bidwill publicly shunned her and verbally attacked her following a perceived slight by another NFL owner.
The Cardinals are expected to deny the allegations, which include claims of retaliatory actions meant to force Neuheisel's resignation. The team has not yet issued an official statement on the lawsuit.
