Marcellus Wiley, a former NFL Pro Bowler and ex-ESPN and FOX Sports personality, is facing sexual assault allegations from four individuals, including a past production assistant from ESPN. This information was reported by Rolling Stone.
The plaintiffs lodged a lawsuit in New York in April, adding to earlier accusations made by three others concerning an incident in 1994, when Wiley was a student at Columbia University.
The first of these cases emerged in 2023, followed by two more in 2025.
Wiley has dismissed the first lawsuit as “B.S.” and, according to Rolling Stone, his lawyer refuted the claims of rape and sexual assault in a court document from 2024.
The historical accusations link back to the recent claims, as it is alleged that Columbia University concealed Wiley’s rape to maintain a reputation for safety and respect, which ultimately jeopardized other women, according to Rolling Stone.
The latest allegations present a wider range of accusations.
Two of the accusers state that Wiley assaulted them in California between 1995 and 1999. Another alleges that beginning at the age of 13, Wiley “groomed” her, leading to a sexual relationship years later during his NFL career. The fourth accuser, a former ESPN staff member, contends that Wiley misled her into visiting his hotel room under the pretext of a work meeting before assaulting her.
One accuser detailed how Wiley approached her during middle school between 1997 and 1999, when he was with the Bills, expressing encouragement and gifting her items over time. Her perception of Wiley changed dramatically when, on her 18th birthday, he reportedly took her to Dallas and assaulted her.
Another former ESPN employee asserts that in 2009, Wiley coerced her into a hotel room under false pretenses, where he reportedly attacked her. She described feeling terrified and said the experience left deep emotional scars.
In California during the 1990s, two women claim they were raped by Wiley, with one stating he assaulted her in her mother’s apartment.
A fourth woman describes being raped in a hotel in 1999 while she was a USC student. Although the police investigated her claim, it didn’t lead to charges; she later spoke with authorities again years down the line.
The recent allegations are part of efforts initiated by one original accuser to escalate the case into a class action lawsuit against both Wiley and Columbia, with a hearing set for May 12.
Wiley’s attorney argued that Columbia was aware of the allegations but merely placed him on probation instead of taking more decisive action.
Wiley had a noteworthy college football career at Columbia, becoming one of its most celebrated players before entering the NFL as a second-round draft pick in 1997. His professional trajectory included stints with the Bills, Chargers, Cowboys, and Jaguars, culminating in a career that spanned from 1997 to 2006.
He joined ESPN in 2007 and later moved to FS1 in 2018, leaving the network in 2022. He is currently the host of his podcast, “More To It.” Wiley is married to Annemarie Wiley, known from “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”
