For Robin DeLorenzo, the start of it all was quite simple. Her father, Rich DeLorenzo, had been an official in her high school for 15 years, and one day, he asked her if she wanted to accompany him to work. Sure, she thought! But what was supposed to be a hangout with her dad turned into an aspiration. “Can I do this?” she asked him by the end of the class, and Rich DeLorenzo couldn’t see why not. That tale, however, was from decades ago.

From not knowing whether she was allowed to be a football referee since no woman was doing it, to working in high school football for 14 years and climbing up to the NFL, the road was long. It was harsh, too. And her latest legal case throws further light on what it was like being only the third female official hired by the league. She has filed a discrimination lawsuit against the league for alleged sexism that she experienced over three years.

“Robin DeLorenzo cited gender-based scrutiny, humiliation, and open hostility among the indignities she suffered from 2022 to 2025 as a league official,” Associated Press reported. “The lawsuit in Manhattan federal court, filed Friday, sought reinstatement along with unspecified damages.”

According to the lawsuit, DeLorenzo faced countless discriminatory actions, such as being sent oversized men’s uniforms and being asked to show her ponytail. As per the information available, during her first mini-camp in Houston, Senior Vice President of Officiating Walter Anderson wanted her to have her hair in a ponytail so she would appear visibly female on the field. Despite pushing back and raising the issue with an NFL-retained communication specialist, Anderson was persistent.

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DeLorenzo also alleged that she was made to do a humiliating singing performance in front of players and coaches. The former referee mentioned that her crew chief, John Hussey, a man who has been accused of mistreating another female employee, often humiliated her, harassed her, and used abusive language.

Furthermore, DeLorenzo confirmed that she was forced to participate in a ‘training opportunity’ for lower-level college officials. No male official had ever been required to do so, which she alleged to be ‘power play’ for humiliating and undermining her.

“It was a male power play that served its purpose of humiliating the plaintiff, shattering her confidence, and significantly hindering her NFL career,” the lawsuit read.

Eventually, she was fired on February 18, 2025.

“[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 read.

“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.”

The lawsuit also mentioned that such instances damaged DeLorenzo’s career and reputation.

That’s not how Robin DeLorenzo’s officiating career started

Initially, Robin DeLorenzo often expressed amazement at her role as an official as she followed her father’s advice throughout her journey. This happiness surged to the next level when the NFL’s senior vice president of officiating allowed her father to deliver the news to her that she had been promoted to the NFL.

“Once he gave me the news, my dad and I just stared at each other, crying for about five minutes,” DeLorenzo told NFL.com in 2023. “It was the most magical night.”

However, on February 18, 2025, DeLorenzo was terminated after a three-year tenure. Her termination letter, as per DeLorenzo, delved into her performance across all three seasons. This was the same period when she faced discrimination, harassment, and was punished for speaking up.

The lawsuit raises twelve causes of action under federal, New York state, and city, and New Jersey anti-discrimination laws, as the former NFL referee seeks reinstatement, compensatory and punitive damages, and back pay. But given the lawsuit’s potential to harm the NFL’s reputation for inclusivity, the league issued a statement.

NFL issues statement on Robin DeLorenzo’s lawsuit

Following the lawsuit, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy confirmed through an email to ESPN that DeLorenzo was dismissed after three seasons marked by documented underperformance.

“The allegations in this lawsuit are baseless, and we will vigorously defend against them in court,” McCarthy said.

But here’s the issue: DeLorenzo alleged that the systems used to evaluate her performance were controlled by Anderson, the very man who reportedly harassed her, and that she was graded more harshly than other officials.

All that said, unlike the league, the NFL Referees Association hasn’t yet issued a comment on the situation.

With Robin DeLorenzo, one of the first women to officiate an NFL game, suing the NFL over alleged sexism and harassment, questions will be raised about how serious the league is about its DEI commitments.