Chris Kluwe's lawsuit against the Minnesota Vikings for sexual orientation discrimination, among other things, fits with his message against special teams coordinator Mike Priefer.
Vikings kicker Blair Walsh cooroborates Chris Kluwe's claim of sexual-orientation discrimination
But the basis for the suit - that the Vikings aren't releasing the findings of an internal investigation publicly - doesn't sound like a term the team would agree to do.
ESPN.com reported Tuesday that the lawyer for Kluwe said the former Vikings kicker intends to sue to the team for refusal to release the results of their investigation into Kluwe's claims that the Vikings released him because of his outspoken support of gay rights and that Priefer made homophobic remarks during the 2012 season.
Kluwe originally wrote a first-person account for Deadspin.com in January, detailing Priefer's statements in 2012 and his release from the team in 2013. Priefer released a statement through the Vikings that "vehemently" denied Kluwe's claims - including an allegation that the coach said during a meeting that "We should round up all the gays, send them to an island and nuke it until it glows."
Chris Kluwe doesn't want Vikings assistant Mike Priefer fired
In a news conference Tuesday morning, Halunen and Kluwe claimed they have learned the report will corroborate Kluwe's initial allegations, ESPN added.
Attorney Clayton Halunen said Tuesday that Priefer later admitted to making the comments when investigators interviewed him.
"At this point, we have no choice but to file a lawsuit against the Vikings," Halunen said. "In that lawsuit, the very first thing we will get in the course of discovery will be the investigation report, and to the extent we're able, we will make that public."
The suit includes religious discrimination, sexual-orientation discrimination, defamation and "tortious interference with contractual relations." According to ESPN, Kluwe said he would reconsider if the Vikings made the report public.
After the letter came out, in which Kluwe said he wanted Priefer fired, he backtracked, saying he just wanted Priefer to get therapy and then become a role model
Both the Vikings and the investigating team issued statements denying that they ever agreed to make the findings public.
"(Lawyers Eric) Magnuson, (Chris) Madel and others spent nearly six months conducting an exhaustive investigation," the Vikings said in a statement posted on the team's website. "After the Vikings were given the investigative materials from Magnuson and Madel, in order to further maintain objectivity and integrity, the team engaged a nationally-prominent law firm in employment matters - Littler Mendelson P.C. - to evaluate employment law matters and provide findings and recommendations to the Vikings. Those recommendations are to be provided to the team this week."
ProFootballTalk.NBCSports.com reported that Littler Mendelson P.C. is a firm that represents interests of management in employment matters.
Halunen plans to meet with the Vikings attorneys on Thursday to discuss the next steps to be taken from the investigation - and now the possible lawsuit as well.
Should the Vikings be made to make their findings of their investigation into claims of sexual-orientation discrimination public? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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