Trials & Litigation
One of NFL’s first female officials sues for alleged gender discrimination, termination
Line judge Robin DeLorenzo is pictured during an NFL game at the State Farm Stadium on Nov. 3, 2024, in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
A woman who had a pioneering position as an NFL game official is suing the league for its alleged sexist treatment of her.
Robin DeLorenzo was one of three female NFL officials from 2022 to 2025, during which time she said she endured scrutiny based on her gender, humiliation and open hostility.
Her lawsuit was filed last week in Manhattan federal court in New York City. It alleges that one day during training camp, she was made to give an “utterly humiliating singing performance” in front of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ players, all the men on her officiating crew and her boss, according to the Associated Press.
DeLorenzo’s suit also states that in 2024, she was forced to attend “an alleged training opportunity” that usually included lower-level college officials and which no men had been required to take.
An NFL spokesperson said DeLorenzo was fired for “documented underperformance,” according to the AP, and the suit is “baseless.” She is seeking reinstatement along with unspecified damages.
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