Former NFL player, Teyo Johnson had filed a lawsuit against his employer, earlier this year, for being racist and encouraging him to sleep with his co-workers. Johnson had filed a $1.9 million lawsuit but has now settled the matter for $50,000.
Teyo Johnson Accepts $500K For His Lawsuit Against His Employer
In a surprising turn of events, Teyo Johnson, a former National Football League (NFL) star, has accepted a $50,000 settlement from his ex-employer, Janine Yorio. This comes as an unexpected resolution to his previously filed $1.9 million sexual harassment and racial discrimination lawsuit. Johnson’s decision to settle has raised eyebrows across many legal and sporting circles given the vast difference between the initial lawsuit amount and the agreed-upon settlement. However, the reasons behind this decision remain unclear.
Teyo Johnson, who has had a commendable career in the NFL, took the drastic step of suing his ex-employer for a whopping $1.9 million, alleging sexual harassment. Johnson asserts that he was coerced by Yorio into participating in what he describes as “sexually harassing games”. These games, he alleges, were designed to compel co-workers and clients into intimate encounters with one another.
Further adding to the disturbing allegations, Yorio is said to have directed several racially insensitive remarks at Johnson, who is of African-American descent. The suit details instances where she reportedly referred to him using derogatory terms such as a “stupid black person” and “the whitest black person”.
According to The Daily Beast, Everyrealm’s CEO, Janine Yorio, accused Johnson in a libel lawsuit filed in June. Allegedly, Johnson had publicized a video on Twitter asserting that he “wasn’t offered equity [in Everyrealm], while similarly situated white employees were.” This charge was part of the bigger sexual harassment and racial discrimination lawsuit filed by Johnson against Everyrealm and its CEO.
Teyo Johnson refused to collaborate with women who had more experience than him and referred to one of them as a “crazy bitch”, the lawsuit claimed. It also painted a picture of professional negligence, stating Johnson had fallen asleep at his desk, demonstrated incompetence with Microsoft Office, sent emails riddled with typos, and falsely claimed that deals were completed when they weren’t. The lawsuit further claimed,
“Mr. Johnson never reported any kind of racial discrimination or sexual harassment during his three months at the company. Because it never happened.”
Yorio’s spokesperson informed the publication that Teyo Johnson decided to settle the lawsuit for $500K stating that the amount was paid to not waste any more time on the false lawsuit.
“Mr. Johnson and his cohorts demanded $7.4 million, but he walked away with $51,456. Paying this is well worth avoiding any further time wasted on this sham of a lawsuit.”
It also comes as a surprise since earlier in the proceedings, Yorio had claimed that she will not be paying Johnson any amount for a “baseless lawsuit.”
“Against repeated advice, I remain staunchly opposed to ‘writing a check’ to make these baseless lawsuits go away.”
With an impressive athletic journey, Teyo Johnson emerged as a second-round pick from Stanford in the coveted 2003 NFL Draft. His professional football career saw him donning the jerseys of the Raiders and the Arizona Cardinals before he found himself testing his skills on numerous practice squads through 2008. His prowess also extended north, as he played two remarkable seasons with the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League.
