DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spoke for the first time about an ESPN article published last week unveiling a $2.4 million settlement the organization paid four former cheerleaders who accused a former senior team executive of voyeurism in the locker room in 2015.
"First of all, the cheerleaders are iconic. A vital part of what our organization is, the Dallas Cowboys. We took these allegations very seriously. We immediately began to look-see, an investigation into the situation. I can assure you that had we found that it need be, there would have been firings or there would have been suspensions," Jones said in an interview with NBC 5 anchor Meredith Land. "As it turns out, in the best interest of our cheerleaders, and the best interest of the organization, in the best interest of our fans, what we decided to do was show the cheerleaders how seriously we took these allegations and we wanted them to know that we were real serious and so the settlement was the way to go."
Rich Dalrymple, the former Cowboys senior vice president for public relations and communications, was accused of "standing behind a partial wall in their locker room with his iPhone extended toward them while they were changing their clothes" during an event at AT&T Stadium.
NBC 5 reached out to Dalrymple for comment but have not heard back.
Dalrymple, who retired on Feb. 3 after spending 32 years with the organization, released a statement to ESPN, refuting the allegations.
"People who know me, co-workers, the media and colleagues, know who I am and what I'm about," Dalrymple said in the statement. "I understand the very serious nature of these claims and do not take them lightly. The accusations are, however, false. One was accidental and the other simply did not happen. Everything that was alleged was thoroughly investigated years ago, and I cooperated fully."
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