As disturbing allegations of sexual misconduct mount against several NFL Network employees, Tuesday on Instagram broadcaster Lindsay McCormick detailed her experience with a network executive.
“I’ve been quiet about this for too long,” wrote McCormick, 30. “In my last interview with NFL Network a few years ago, the head of hiring talent said to me, ‘If we hire you, do you plan on getting knocked up immediately like the rest of them?’
“‘Them’ as in badass working women who deserve to have a family life as well? ‘Them’ as the women who work their tails off to be taken seriously in a man’s world? Or ‘them’ who bring you a new audience and a tremendous amount of viewership?” she continued. “Because while I don’t plan on ‘getting knocked up,’ I do plan on being like the rest of those brilliant women that our future daughters will one day look up to and see you can have it all.”
McCormick’s revelation came a day after former players-turned-NFL Network analysts Marshall Faulk, Heath Evans, Ike Taylor and Donovan McNabb were named in an extensive sexual harassment lawsuit by stylist Jami Cantor, who worked for the network from 2006 through 2016. The suit was filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Faulk, Evans and Taylor are accused of groping and making explicit remarks to Cantor. They have since been suspended from the network. Former executive producer Eric Weinberger, who now serves as president of Bill Simmons’ Ringer media group, was also named in the suit for allegedly sending “several nude pictures of himself and sexually explicit texts” to Cantor.
According to the New York Times, NFL Network has asked its employees not to discuss the allegations until the matter is resolved.
McCormick, who has worked for ESPN, NBC Sports and CBS Sports, concluded her post by thanking the NFL Network for “removing this man from his position and for the actions they’ve taken this week.” McCormick tagged current and former ESPN analysts Samantha Ponder and Britt McHenry, feminist icon Gloria Steinem, model Emily Ratajkowski and broadcaster Michelle Joy Phelps in her post.
Hours before McCormick shared her story, McHenry weighed in on the abrupt suspensions and allegations.
As of Tuesday evening, McNabb and retired player Eric Davis had been suspended by ESPN as the network continues its investigation into the sexual harassment claims.