Buffalo Bills Owner Terry Pegula Denies Making Racist Comments About Black NFL Players in Discrimination Lawsuit
Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula has vehemently denied making racist comments about Black NFL players, following the filing of a discrimination lawsuit against the league. In the lawsuit, former NFL Media reporter Jim Trotter claimed that Pegula criticized the rise in player protests against racial injustice, allegedly saying that unhappy Black players should go back to Africa and see how bad it is. Pegula, however, released a statement refuting the allegation, calling it absolutely false and expressing his disgust at being associated with such racism. Trotter’s lawsuit includes examples of discrimination and retaliation within the league, which he claims are prevalent at the highest levels.
According to Trotter, he first learned of Pegula’s alleged comment during a companywide Zoom call in September 2020, where another NFL Media reporter mentioned it. The reporter recounted a conversation in which Pegula reportedly spoke about the increase in social activism by NFL players and their support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Trotter stated that the unidentified reporter shared that Pegula had said, If the Black players don’t like it here, they should go back to Africa and see how bad it is. He described the remark as offensive and racist, leaving the meeting participants frozen and unsure of how to react.
A league source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, revealed that the alleged comment was thoroughly investigated, including interviews with Terry Pegula, his wife and co-owner Kim Pegula, as well as everyone else present at the dinner where the conversation supposedly took place. The investigation, which occurred soon after the comment was brought to the league’s attention, found that no one else at the dinner recalled Pegula making such a statement.
Trotter claimed that he voiced his concerns about Pegula’s remarks during the Zoom call, asking how the league would handle the issue. He said he was later informed that the league office would investigate the matter. Despite following up multiple times to inquire about any potential disciplinary action against Pegula, Trotter asserted that nothing was done. The lawsuit also alleges another statement made by Pegula during an October 2017 meeting, where the owners privately discussed issues including former quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s failure to find a new team after sparking controversy by kneeling during the national anthem. Pegula allegedly referred to the situation as a media problem and suggested that the league needed an African-American spokesperson to enhance its image.
In response to Trotter’s lawsuit, the NFL issued a statement on Tuesday, thanking him for his dedicated journalism while categorizing his termination as a business decision. The league denied specific allegations within the lawsuit and emphasized its commitment to improving diversity and inclusion, acknowledging that there is more work to be done in this regard.
As this story develops, more updates will be provided.
(Based on the news article Buffalo Bills Owner Terry Pegula Denies Making Racist Comments About Black NFL Players in Discrimination Lawsuit by Stephen T. Watson)
