“Roger Goodell would have to suspend him” – Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill could be in huge trouble, NFL insider claims
Arizona Cardinals team owner Michael Bidwill is being accused of some serious allegations by a former team employee. Former vice president of player personnel, Terry McDonough filed a complaint with the NFL against Cardinals' team owner.
McDonough stated in his personal complaint that the Cardinals team owner gave him and then-Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks burner phones. He instructed them to use these phones to contact general manager Steve Keim, who had been fined and suspended for five weeks due to a DUI charge.
McDonough and Wilks were instructed to contact Keim during his suspension using the burner phones. However, Keim was not allowed to make contact with the team during his suspension.
Peter King of NBC Sports gave his take on the situation Monday morning. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is going to have to take action against Michael Bidwill if the evidence proves that he did encourage his team employees to violate the NFL rules.
King essentially said that Goodell might not have a choice but to take action:
"I think if Bidwill is found to have supplied burner phones to two employees with the purpose of surreptitiously contacting Keim during a suspension in clear violation of league rules, commissioner Roger Goodell would have to suspend him."
Along with his personal complaint, McDonough also filed another grievance against the Arizona Cardinals team owner about a toxic workplace culture.
McDonough said that he racially discriminated against one male employee in particular and yelled at two female employees who were both pregnant to a point where both cried.
The Terry McDonough complaint starts with his own dispute, but the additional details about Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell deserve to be taken seriously by Roger Goodell, says @AlbertBreer trib.al/gE5VOjo
These allegations against Michael Bidwill come after years of accusations against the Washington Commanders and Dan Snyder. After the scandalous events that have evolved around the Commanders, Snyder is close to selling his NFL franchise.
NFL fans will be watching to see how the Cardinals situation pans out.
How did Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill make his fortune?
Arizona Cardinals team owner Michael Bidwill has an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion. He was a federal prosecutor for six years from 1990 to 1996 in Phoenix, Arizona. He then decided to join the 'family business', which is the longtime ownership of the Cardinals franchise.
He inherited the team from his father, Bill, who died in 2019 and had been part-owner of the team since 1962. But, it was Michael's grandfather Charles who originally purchased the Cardinals organization in 1933 for just $50,000.
ICYMI: Strong piece from @mikefreemanNFL that examines why, after Dan Snyder exits, Michael Bidwill is poised to take the mantle as “NFL’s worst owner.” usatoday.com/story/sports/c…
Now, the owner of an NFL team that is reportedly worth $3 billion, he has taken his grandfather's investment and turned it into a profitable wealth asset for the family.