Michael Irvin press conference: Cowboys icon denies accusation after Marriott staffer revealed stunningly lewd question
Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin has denied accusations by Marriott International about what happened when he and a hotel's female staffer had an encounter last month.
Irvin was accused of inappropriate behavior by the employee and was not assigned to cover the Super Bowl for both ESPN and NFL Network. He filed a $100M lawsuit against Marriott, claiming defamation and tortious interference in a business relationship. The case is currently in federal court.
According to USA Today, Marriott has provided their own version of what happened between the former wide receiver and their employee.
"On the night in question, Marriott says that Irvin flagged down the accuser and "appeared to be visibly intoxicated" and began his aggressive behavior toward the employee, shaking her hand, stating she was attractive, and asking her if she watched football. Irvin also reached out and touched the Victim’s arm during this conversation without her consent, causing her to step back, becoming visibly uncomfortable. Irvin then asked the Victim whether she knew anything about having a “big Black man inside of [her]."
He has been firmly denying the accusations ever since they came out. He said that he was innocent and added:
"It took me back to a time where a white woman would accuse a black man of something, and they would take a bunch of guys that were above the law, run in a barn, put a rope around his foot and drag him through the mud and hang him by a tree."
He totally denied Marriott's version of the report in a court filing last Friday.
In a court filing last Friday, Marriott says female hotel staffer accused ex-Cowboys WR Michael Irvin of asking if she knew anything about having "a big Black man inside of [her]" and also that he said he'd find her later in work week. Irvin today: “I totally deny saying that.” https://t.co/THi9aZyPJk
What are the next steps in Michael Irvin's case?
The former wide receiver is set to drop his $100M lawsuit in a Texas federal court, but sources say he pretends to refile in Arizona. He was relieved to see the video of the incident finally available to him:
"I am so thankful for this video, because without it, I just don’t know where this would have gone. What was most important for me was to find out that I’m OK. I want to make sure I’m OK for my family and everything, so I just wanted to see it."
There is no confirmation about what's going to happen with his future as a commentator after he was taken out of the Super Bowl LVII coverage.