Former Chiefs employee sues team for racial discrimination, wrongful termination

Yahoo

22-06-2025

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A former employee of the Kansas City Chiefs is suing the organization, claiming he was fired because he is Black.
The lawsuit was filed by Ramzee Robinson in the Western District of Missouri on Sunday. Robinson served as the Chiefs' Director of Player Engagement until February.
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Along with race discrimination, Robinson's lawsuit also makes claims of retaliation and tortious interference with business expectancy.
The Chiefs referred FOX4 to a statement provided to Pro Football Talk on Wednesday. 'We can't comment because it's an active legal matter,' Brad Gee, Chiefs vice president of football communications, told Pro Football Talk via text message.'But to be clear, the Chiefs do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. We look forward to the facts of this case coming to light.'
The lawsuit says Robinson worked for the Chiefs from 2016 to 2025, most recently serving as the team's Director of Player Engagement.
Robinson's suit says he made an annual salary of $125,000, nearly $47,000 less (on average) than others in similar roles, before his termination. Robinson claims his requests for salary increases were denied by Chiefs President Mark Donovan because they had 'previously given him raises.'
'As compared to other NFL franchises and/or teams, [Robinson] was paid the lowest salary,' the lawsuit says, 'KC Chiefs paid African-American business employees less than their white counterparts.'
Robinson cites an example of a Black woman who held a management position, making $50,000 per year. But when she asked the Chiefs for a raise and was denied, the lawsuit says she resigned and was replaced by a white woman, who the Chiefs paid $80,000 per year.
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The lawsuit says Robinson reported to Vice President of Administration Kristen Krug. He says Krug 'consistently advised [Robinson] to 'stay out of the way' or 'less is more.''
On February 15, 2025, the lawsuit says Krug called Robinson into her office, claiming that he had engaged in 'conduct detrimental to the league.' Krug accused Robinson of attacking his white female coworker and claimed to have seen the incident on security cameras, but refused to show Robinson the video. Following Robinson's firing, the woman he was accused of attacking took over his former role.
The lawsuit also claims the Chiefs denied Robinson a job opportunity with another team, the Houston Texans, which would have also been more pay.
Months before he was fired, the lawsuit says Robinson was pressured into renewing his contract with the Chiefs. But after he agreed to sign a contract renewal, the Houston Texans asked Chiefs management to interview Robinson. The suit claims the Chiefs refused, saying an interview would 'violate his contract'.
Robinson claims he discovered this information after someone from the Texans organization called him personally and asked about it.
Robinson is seeking monetary relief and a jury trial in the case.
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