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Pioneering female NFL official sues league over her treatment and firing
AP ^ | March 31, 2026 | LARRY NEUMEISTER

Posted on 04/01/2026 7:37:26 AM PDT by ConservativeStatement

NEW YORK (AP) — In a new lawsuit, one of the first three women to officiate an NFL game describes her three years at the pinnacle of her profession as a descent into the grip of a sexist institution unable to treat a woman as an equal.

Robin DeLorenzo cited gender-based scrutiny, humiliation and open hostility among the indignities she suffered from 2022 to 2025 as a league official.

The lawsuit in Manhattan federal court, filed Friday, sought reinstatement along with unspecified damages.

(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...


TOPICS: Society; Sports
KEYWORDS: dei; football; nfl; referee; sports

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To: ConservativeStatement

She was one of three fired.

“Second-year umpire James Carter, third-year line judge Robin DeLorenzo, and first-year down judge Robert Richeson were the officials sent back to the college ranks, according to the report.”

So, can the men make the same claims that she is making?


21 posted on 04/01/2026 8:11:22 AM PDT by CodeToad
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To: DIRTYSECRET

“My friends you all know the ultimate motive was to get someone like her to wear the white hat and be seen the whole game.”

Referees mainly just get camera time and regurgitate calls which some other official has made. They make a few calls themselves too, but it’s mainly just a talking-head job. She doesn’t even need (or have) any actual competence.

And she couldn’t even muster the minimum requirements to do a decent job.

The whole point of having DEI referees (not just this gal) is — “oh look how this one figurehead proves how diverse and inclusive and virtuous we are!!!”

Referee USED to be the highest position of merit among the stripes on the field, earned by years of being a Side Judge, Back Judge, Line Judge, whatever, and moving up due to competence (or at least seniority).

Now this, and every other high-profile job (e.g. “CEO of Cracker Barrel”), has a fast-track “DEI Detour” built in — as long as you are not a White male.


22 posted on 04/01/2026 8:12:11 AM PDT by PermaRag (Facts, context, and more facts)
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To: ConservativeStatement
Brian McCarthy, an NFL spokesperson, said in an email that DeLorenzo was terminated after three seasons of documented underperformance.

Like all professional sports, NFL reviews and ranks referees' decisions vs. some objective or collective standard.

She probably missed a lot of calls, and/or made many bad calls

I know a guy who wants to be an NHL referee. He's had some games at AHL level, and is a referee for Division 1 hockey in his area. This "climbing the professional ladder" and "paying one's dues" prior to reaching the top takes years and is intense.

I suspect the NFL, in their wokeness, put this woman on a fast-track, and she didn't gain the years of practice, experience, insight and toughness which all the male referees are subjected to.

23 posted on 04/01/2026 8:14:04 AM PDT by PGR88
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To: ConservativeStatement

Even further, the three refs fired by the NFL “were second-year umpire James Carter, third-year line judge Robin DeLorenzo, and first-year down judge Robert Richeson.

Notably, each of these referees officiated a game in which the Kansas City Chiefs won last season.”

“Three officials have been axed by the league for “accountability” reasons.”

It seems they each made bad calls in the final moments of three games that let the Chiefs win.


24 posted on 04/01/2026 8:14:51 AM PDT by CodeToad
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To: ConservativeStatement

how did Robin DeLorenzo rate as an NFL official?
Completed 3 steps
Robin DeLorenzo, a line judge who joined the NFL in 2022 as one of its early female officials, was rated poorly enough by the league to be demoted after the 2024 season and later terminated. The NFL cited documented underperformance over her three seasons, including failure to qualify for postseason games despite eligibility. She has sued the league alleging discriminatory grading practices rather than legitimate poor performance, though the NFL calls her claims baseless.

Career Overview
DeLorenzo worked primarily as a line judge on crews like Carl Cheffers’, handling duties such as spotting the ball and monitoring sidelines. No public third-party metrics like PFF or detailed per-game grades are available, but internal NFL evaluations led to her relegation to college ranks alongside two others in April 2025.

Post-Season Actions
After demotion, she was fired on February 18, 2025, prompting her March 2026 federal lawsuit seeking reinstatement and damages for alleged gender bias. The case highlights disputes over her grading under new systems but provides no specific numerical ratings.


25 posted on 04/01/2026 8:15:32 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (Import the third world. Become the second world.)
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To: ConservativeStatement

Never, ever hire a protected class individual unless you are either very sure that person will work out, or you’re willing to employ that person forever, regardless of the quality of their work.


26 posted on 04/01/2026 8:17:50 AM PDT by brownsfan (We are already on the slippery slope.)
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To: TimSkalaBim

“It’s a shame that such cruelties exist in the world...”

What didn’t come out in the article was she was not singled out but was one of three sent back to the availability of the college ranks. Being released at the same time were second-year umpire James Carter and first-year down judge Robert Richeson.

They were fired for poor performance. A good article on this is this:

https://www.the-sun.com/sport/13987744/nfl-fires-referees-kansas-city-chiefs-controversy/

She pulled the gender card.

wy69


27 posted on 04/01/2026 8:18:15 AM PDT by whitney69 (gave)
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To: chopperk

“Her vision must be faulty as she couldn’t make a correct call most of the time.”

It’s not about the correct call. She remembers infractions from 3 years ago, and is getting even.


28 posted on 04/01/2026 8:19:24 AM PDT by brownsfan (We are already on the slippery slope.)
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To: ConservativeStatement

This could be a “just go away” lawsuit. Meaning DeLorenzo is just looking for a settlement to drop the lawsuit and just go away.


29 posted on 04/01/2026 8:21:06 AM PDT by Leaning Right
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To: ConservativeStatement

Here we go! America going from a goofy “historical moment” to another “lawsuit moment.”


30 posted on 04/01/2026 8:27:17 AM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Visit Chicongo! America's Wrong Place at the Wrong Time! We have Backshooters! - Governor Prixter.)
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To: brownsfan

> Never, ever hire a protected class individual unless you are either very sure that person will work out… <

Awhile back I was reading an article about age discrimination laws. In a way, they can work against older folks. And that’s because some employers are hesitant to hire an older person in the first place.

Fire that person for cause, and you get slapped with an age discrimination lawsuit.


31 posted on 04/01/2026 8:27:21 AM PDT by Leaning Right
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To: ConservativeStatement

On the one hand this is kind of like a DUH what did you expect moment. It’s not like officials are loved by anyone except their families so there’s always going to be a certain level of hostility. Being a female almost guarantees that his hostility will increase somewhat.


32 posted on 04/01/2026 8:31:07 AM PDT by DouglasKC
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To: ConservativeStatement

Not shocked
Next she will become oil rig worker and sue again


33 posted on 04/01/2026 8:35:19 AM PDT by blitz128
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To: BenLurkin

I have never thought that any official in any professional sport should be given those duties if they have never played the game at any level.


34 posted on 04/01/2026 8:44:19 AM PDT by rlmorel (Factio Communistica Sinensis Delenda Est)
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To: No name given

“reinstatement”? Probably NOT a good idea..


35 posted on 04/01/2026 8:55:29 AM PDT by rktman (Destroy America from within? On hold! Enlisted USN 1967 proudly. 🚫💉! 🇮🇱🙏! Winning currently!)
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To: FlingWingFlyer

Just get the danged women off the field!

Can’t the men have anything that is just men?


36 posted on 04/01/2026 8:56:58 AM PDT by Bigg Red ( Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.)
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To: ConservativeStatement

37 posted on 04/01/2026 8:58:57 AM PDT by simpson96
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To: Bigg Red

The answer is, “No!”

(However, women can have women-only stuff if they wish.)


38 posted on 04/01/2026 9:09:54 AM PDT by DennisR (Look around - God gives countless clues that He does, indeed, exist.)
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To: ConservativeStatement

Keep women out of men's sports!

Oh wait, that has a familiar ring to it.

39 posted on 04/01/2026 9:41:38 AM PDT by Tommy Revolts
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To: CodeToad

The fact that the NFL which is by far the largest revenue professional sports league in the USA does not have FULL TIME professional referees is the real problem.

The NFL made 23 BILLION last year in 2025.
Their referees are part time employees.
They need to be paid well enough that they have competent well trained people. Pay them $150K or more.
The NBA has full time professional refs that get paid between $150K-$500K.

The issue is the owners are all cheap bast#ards.
This is the real problem.


40 posted on 04/01/2026 9:56:41 AM PDT by woodbutcher1963
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