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Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin has reached a settlement with Marriott in his high-profile $100 million defamation lawsuit against the hotel chain.
Following the resolution of the legal dispute, Irvin is expected to make his return to NFL Network on Sunday morning, according to Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken.
The legal battle stemmed from a February 5th incident at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown hotel, where Irvin was staying.
A female staffer accused Irvin of making lewd comments during a hotel lobby encounter. Irvin vehemently denied the allegations and questioned the severity of the accusations during a March 14 news conference.
“Like I’m going to hunt her down, kidnap somebody, kill somebody?” Irvin remarked at the time.
In response to the incident, NFL Media, which oversees NFL Network, suspended Michael Irvin more than seven months ago, following his last appearance at the Super Bowl Opening Night on February 6 in Phoenix.
Irvin subsequently filed a lawsuit against Marriott and six other parties, including a Jane Doe, for defamation and tortious interference in a business relationship, as Marriott had contacted the NFL regarding the incident.
The terms of the settlement between Irvin and Marriott have not been disclosed, and as of now, there has been no official comment from NFL Media regarding Irvin’s status with the network.
Irvin made an appearance on FS1’s “Undisputed” show with host Skip Bayless, signaling his intent to return to the public eye.