Former Arizona Cardinals coach STEVE WILKS testified that a team exec “gave him a burner phone to communicate” with former GM STEVE KEIM “under orders” from Keim and team owner MICHAEL BIDWILL during Keim's suspension, according to Tisha Thompson of ESPN.com. Wilks said that Bidwill and other team execs “communicated with Keim throughout his suspension for drunk driving,” including while the Cardinals negotiated a three-year, $39M contract extension with RB DAVID JOHNSON. Wilks in the deposition said, “It was a directive from Keim as well as Bidwill. They both knew.” Thompson noted Wilks testified as part of an "ongoing arbitration complaint” filed by former Cardinals VP/Personnel TERRY MCDONOUGH against Bidwill and the team. McDonough's complaint alleges "gross misconduct by Bidwill,” including "discriminatory and racist treatment of employees in addition to the use of burner phones.” Bidwill and the Cardinals have previously "denied the allegations,” calling them "outlandish." The Cardinals in a statement said, “As much as we would like to share the truth of what transpired, the confidentiality order in place prohibits us from doing so.” The team in an April 2023 news release following McDonough's arbitration complaint stated that Bidwill "'took swift action' when he learned of the burner phones and 'directed the phones be retrieved and communications stopped.'" But Wilks in his deposition said, “No one retrieved the burner phones until Keim came back (from his suspension), so it wasn't swift.” Wilks said that VP/Football Administration MIKE DISNER "collected Wilks' burner phone after Keim 'was back in the building'" (ESPN.com, 8/30).
Former Cardinals coach testifies team used burner phones during GM suspension
