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Michael Irvin reaches settlement with Marriott in $100M defamation suit

Irvin has since returned to NFL GameDay Morning.

DALLAS — Editor's note: The above video previously aired in March 2023 when the lawsuit was refiled.

Former Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin has settled a $100 million lawsuit against an Arizona Marriott over allegations he had inappropriate physical conduct with a female hotel staffer over Super Bowl weekend in February. 

Irvin denied the allegations and sued the Arizona Marriott hotel for $100 million in damages days after the incident.

Marriott, in a statement, said it was pleased Irvin is dismissing his lawsuit with prejudice and without any payment from the hotel.

"We have always stood behind our people and their version of events and believe Mr. Irvin’s suit had no merit whatsoever," Marriott said in the statement. 

WFAA has reached out to Irvin's attorneys for comment, but has not heard back as of Monday afternoon. 

Irvin said at a press conference after filing the suit that the situation "sickens" him. He said it took him "back to a time where a white woman would accuse a Black man of something and they would take a bunch of guys who were above the law, run in the ban and put a rope around his foot and drag him through the mud and hang him by the tree."

When Irvin was asked if he remembered the woman from the lobby at that time, he said he meets so many people year-long staying in hotels. 

"I couldn't even tell you what she looks like," Irvin said at the time. "I don't even know who I'm talking about it. This just blows my mind that, in 2023, we're still dragging and hanging brothers by a tree."

Two witnesses of the incident spoke with reporters at the time. 

One was an Australian man who said he didn't know who Irvin was because he's not an NFL fan and the Super Bowl was his first introduction to the sport. He said he met Irvin while doing business with his colleagues in the hotel lobby. 

The other man said he did know who Irvin was, as an Eagles fan, but offered to buy Irvin a drink, which he refused.

Both men said they didn't see any behavior from Irvin that was a cause for concern.

In the suit, Irvin's attorneys accused Marriott's employees and management at the time of "inaccurately and inflammatorily" accusing Irvin of misconduct.

The lawsuit said Irvin had a "brief, friendly interaction with a Marriott employee lasting no longer than one minute" as he arrived back at the hotel Sunday night.

"Witnesses have verified that Mr. Irvin, casually exchanged pleasantries with one of the hotel employees, Mr. Irvin shook her hand, and went to his room alone," the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit said Irving "appreciates spending time with his fans," including taking pictures and talking with them, and that his interaction with the Marriott employee "was no different and witness testimony will prove this to be the case."

"Nonetheless, Marriott recklessly reported to the NFL that Mr. Irvin had somehow acted inappropriately even though in this brief interaction with multiple witnesses, nothing took place other than a friendly interaction that ended with a polite handshake," the lawsuit said.

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