DENVER (KDVR) A performer who formerly appeared as a mascot for the Denver Nuggets is taking the team’s owner to court after he says he was wrongfully fired.
Drake Solomon, who wore the costume of Rocky the Mountain Lion for three seasons, claims he was fired upon returning to work after a double hip replacement.
“When I found out I was being let go, I was heartbroken, devastated,” Solomon said.
The 31-year-old claims he had resolved his medical issues and was cleared by a physician to return to work. But after he did so, he alleged that he encountered a hostile work environment and was told the team was holding tryouts for his replacement, The Colorado Sun and The Denver Post reported.
Solomon told CBS News that the team offered him $20,000 as severance, and asked him to sign a non-disclosure agreement both of which he declined.
He’s now suing his former supervisors and Nuggets owner Kroenke Sports and Entertainment.
“I was able to dunk and do half-court shots again,” Solomon said. “This isn’t about getting back at the team or anything like that. It’s really about right and wrong.”
Solomon’s attorneys allege that the team’s owners violated Colorado’s anti-discrimination act. Other workers may come forward with similar claims, one attorney hinted.
“When you go out on medical leave, the company is required to protect your job. We want to make sure the Nuggets protect people who get injured,” Siddartha Rathod, an attorney with the Denver-based Rathod Mohamedbhai law firm, said.
Solomon, in taking on the role of Rocky, followed in his father’s footsteps. His dad had been the team’s mascot for more than 30 years until his retirement in 2021, when Solomon took over the job. He says he grew up with the organization that unexpectedly fired him.
A spokesman for Kroenke Sports and Entertainment declined to comment on any legal or personnel matter. Solomon’s attorneys say they are hoping to take the case before a jury sometime next year.
