Chris Kluwe was expected to file a lawsuit against the Minnesota Vikings today, but according to the Star Tribune, it isn’t happening.
Instead, Kluwe and his attorney Clayton Halunen will resume settlement talks with the Vikings. Halunen met Wednesday with Vikings lawyer Joe Anthony and both sides agreed to delay the lawsuit with hopes of settling things outside of court.
“We have not set a deadline so I can’t say there’s a deadline but I think both sides are interested in trying to determine whether or not our conversations are going to be a productive in a very short period,” Halunen said, according to the Pioneer Press. “I don’t expect it to be very long.
Halunen added that he hopes to come to an agreement with the Vikings within a few weeks.
Kluwe said Monday in an interview with KFAN radio that he is seeking “maximum damages,” somewhere in the ballpark of $10 million, all of which he would donate to the LGBT community.
Kluwe: "MY main goal is to change the culture at the Vikings. The way to do that is to seek maximum damages in a lawsuit."
— KFAN1003 (@KFAN1003) July 21, 2014
All of this is a result of Kluwe’s Deadspin article published in January in which he accused special teams coordinator Mike Priefer of using homophobic slurs during the 2012 season. Kluwe was released following the season for reasons he believes had to do with his support for gay rights.
Priefer has apologized and been suspended three games by the Vikings, but the team maintains that its decision to release Kluwe was performance based.
Here’s a roundup of the Twitter reports from the Pioneer Press, Star Tribune and ESPN.
Clayton Halunen Kluwe's lawyer told me a lawsuit won't be filed today and conversations will continue for a few weeks on Kluwe settlement
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) July 23, 2014
Clayton Halunen said talks to continue w/Joe Anthony, Vikings lawyer. Hopes it won't drag on for more than a few weeks before decision made
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) July 23, 2014
So to summarize, looks like no lawsuit today and that the #Vikings and Team Kluwe will work toward settling. As always, things can change.
— Matt Vensel (@mattvensel) July 23, 2014
https://twitter.com/GoesslingESPN/status/492006208396861440
