Robin DeLorenzo, one of the first three women to officiate an NFL game and a trailblazing female referee, has filed a discrimination lawsuit against the league after being fired last year. She joined the league in 2022.
In the complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, DeLorenzo alleges she endured three years of “gender-based scrutiny, humiliation, and hostility.” Not to mention, she claims she was the victim of harassment.
Among the offending behaviors was allegedly being issued ill-fitting men’s clothing by the league, being forced to highlight her ponytail to make it obvious she is a female, and being subjected to derogatory remarks and retaliatory treatment by a crew chief.
DeLorenzo claims the league denied her the same resources and opportunities given to male officials, manipulated her training and evaluations, and ultimately terminated her career based on tainted assessments from those who discriminated against her.
“[DeLorenzo] worked her way through two decades of officiating — breaking barriers, making history, and outperforming expectations at every level — only to be met with hostility, retaliation, and systemic inequality the moment she stepped into a league that claims to champion opportunities for women,” the lawsuit reads.
“Instead of supporting one of the only women on its officiating staff, the NFL exposed her to unchecked harassment, denied her the resources given to men, manipulated her training and grading opportunities, and ultimately ended her career based on tainted evaluations created by the very people who discriminated against her.”
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DeLorenzo is seeking reinstatement and unspecified damages, arguing the NFL failed to support one of its few female officials despite publicly championing opportunities for women. The league has not yet publicly commented on the allegations.
The NFL maintained from the start that DeLorenzo was fired after three seasons of documented underperformance as a line judge.
According to the league, her evaluations showed she did not meet the required standards for retention, a decision that also affected two male officials who were similarly relegated to the college ranks that offseason as part of a broader push for accountability in officiating.
All three officials accepted the NFL’s offer of relegation to college conference play, a move that bypassed the union grievance process. It’s unclear whether accepting the offer would affect the lawsuit’s standing.
The case is now headed to federal court, where DeLorenzo will seek to get back in the game. The NFL, meanwhile, will have to prove its termination was based on a league-wide effort to raise officiating standards.
Get your popcorn ready for this one, folks.
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