Over the two weeks, the NFL Network has been in a whirlwind after the suspensions of Marshall Faulk, Ike Taylor and Heath Evans following an investigation into sexual assault allegations that were made against them by a former employee, Jami Cantor, a 51-year old former stylist for the network.
Then, this past week, it was announced that NFL Network VP and executive editor for NFL Media David Eaton resigned following the network’s scandals and his past interactions with pornstars and escorts on Twitter.
But it doesn’t end there for NFL Network.
On Thursday, it got much worse when former NFL Network employee Erin McParland accused Eric Davis, a now ESPN employee who is currently suspended, of sexual harassment in this telling story:
“Eric Davis, a former NFL cornerback turned analyst. It started during my second season with the NFL Network with a comment here and there. When Davis came to the makeup room, he would comment on how flexible I was when I leaned down to pick up a product. I brushed such comments off.
Once the 2015-16 NFL season ended and, consequently, my shifts at the NFL Network studio in California dropped off, I began getting direct messages from Davis over Instagram. He continued to remark on my flexibility and became suggestive about how good things could be between us sexually. I continued to brush off these unwanted sexual comments.
The next time I was in makeup and Davis was leaving, he leaned in for another hug. This time, not only was the hug too long, but it was too close. I could feel him pressing and rubbing his genitals into my leg. I felt frozen, numb.
The third and final incident was full-on predatory, and it came during the filming of Total Access, one of the network’s premier shows. Davis went in for a hug and then, with both hands, grabbed and fondled my buttocks. I instantly pulled away, recoiling. I looked him in the eyes and firmly told him, “Hands off.”
If that wasn’t worse enough, McParland also accused former Dallas Cowboys WR Michael Irving of being a little too touchy with her, but nothing ever happened to him:
“I went on to tell her how Michael Irvin had also made inappropriate gestures and comments. How once, on the set of GameDay, he grabbed my waist while I was powdering him on set during a commercial break. I was mortified. Not only was this unwanted attention not acceptable, I was worried that everyone witnessing this might believe I thought this was okay. Or worse—welcomed.
From then on, my guard with Irvin was up. I went out of my way to avoid him, and if I did have to work with him, I’d have to remind him to “not touch.” In what world is it normal for someone to have to remind their coworker to not touch them?”
McParland claims she went to the Network’s Human Resource department with the complaint and he was quietly fired for it:
SI reached out for comment about both Davis and Irvin and received the following statement from VP of Communications for NFL Media Alex Riethmiller:
“Ms. McParland brought forth allegations of inappropriate workplace conduct. NFL Media thoroughly investigated the allegations and took swift, appropriate remedial action, including severing our relationship with Mr. Davis. The NFL is committed to providing a safe work environment for all of our employees.”
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