Dismissed female referee Robin DeLorenzo sues the NFL for discrimination.

Discrimination Lawsuit Filed by Former NFL Referee

Robin DeLorenzo, one of the first three women to officiate NFL games, has initiated a discrimination lawsuit against the league, citing experiences of sex discrimination over a period of three years.

Filed in federal court in Manhattan, the lawsuit claims that DeLorenzo faced “gender-based surveillance, humiliation, and hostility” during her time as an NFL executive from 2022 until her dismissal in February 2025.

She is seeking reinstatement along with unspecified damages.

The lawsuit elaborates on her career, noting that “[DeLorenzo] overcame two decades of emceeing, breaking barriers, making history,” yet when she joined a league that promotes opportunities for women, she reportedly encountered hostility, retaliation, and systemic inequality.

The NFL allegedly did not support her as the sole woman on its officiating staff. Instead, the lawsuit accuses the league of allowing harassment to go unchecked, denying her resources available to male colleagues, manipulating her training, and ultimately leading to her firing based on a biased evaluation.

It describes incidents of discriminatory comments, starting with DeLorenzo being required to wear ill-fitting clothes designed for men and being advised to show her ponytail over her hat. Such comments about her hair, she claims, made her consider cutting it.

Additionally, the lawsuit recounts a humiliating experience where an NFL crew chief forced her to perform a song for former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, which reportedly added to her emotional distress during her employment.

Following this, DeLorenzo alleges that she faced consistent harassment and derogatory remarks from a crew leader previously accused of mistreating another female employee. By season’s end, this crew chief had ceased communication with her.

The lawsuit also states that in 2024, DeLorenzo had to attend “purported training opportunities” meant for junior staff, a requirement supposedly not imposed on her male counterparts.

“This was a male power play that served to humiliate Plaintiff, shatter her confidence, and significantly hinder her NFL career,” the lawsuit asserts.