The legal battle between Michael Irvin and Marriott over a female hotel employee’s misconduct allegations has taken an unexpected turn.
The hotel chain has now filed a motion to dismiss the complaint filed by the NFL legend, stating that it does not own the Phoenix hotel where the incident allegedly occurred. In addition, Marriott has accused Irvin of making “harassing and inappropriate comments” despite there being only a brief recorded interaction between him and the woman in question.
Marriott filed to dismiss Michael Irvin's $100 mil defamation, tortious interference suit, noting it leases its brand to but does not own the Phoenix hotel where Irvin allegedly made "harassing and inappropriate" comments to a hotel worker Super Bowl week.
— Daniel Kaplan (@KaplanSportsBiz) February 27, 2023
What’s next in this long-run saga?
This latest development follows a judge’s order for Marriott to release a video allegedly showing what happened between Irvin and his accuser. The former Dallas Cowboys star has vehemently denied the allegations and has even filed a $100 million lawsuit against his accuser. Irvin has also taken to the airwaves to give his side of the story, recounting what happened during the brief exchange in the hotel lobby on a Dallas radio station.
The case has garnered national attention, especially since Irvin was booted from Super Bowl LVII coverage on the NFL Network in the wake of the allegations. The situation has put a spotlight on the issue of workplace harassment and has raised questions about the veracity of misconduct claims made by employees. Regardless of the case’s outcome, it is clear that the fallout from these allegations will have long-lasting effects on both Irvin and Marriott.
As the legal battle continues, what evidence will emerge in the case remains to be seen. But one thing is certain – the accusations have already profoundly impacted the careers of those involved. The case underscores the need for all parties to take allegations of workplace harassment seriously and to ensure that they are thoroughly investigated before any judgments are made. For now, the world watches as the drama unfolds in court.
