A shocking accusation emerged involving the Arizona Cardinals and team owner Michael Bidwill on Tuesday. Former Cardinals vice president of player personnel Terry McDonough accused Bidwill of demoting him in 2019 after he refused to participate in a scheme that would skirt the 2018 suspension of general manager Steve Keim following his DUI, according to Kalyn Kahler, Mike Sando and Stewart Mandel of The Athletic.

In the arbitration demand, McDonough claims that Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill gave him a “burner phone” to communicate with Cardinals general manager Steve Keim, who was banned from having any contact with the team during a suspension stemming from a DUI back in 2018.

Furthermore, McDonough, who says he opposed Bidwill's scheme, claims that he suffered “illegal and retaliatory mistreatment and abuse” from the Cardinals owner for his unwillingness to violate the rules of Keim's suspension.

A public relations advisor released a statement on behalf of the team, acknowledging the existence of the “burner phone's scheme, but emphasizing that Bidwill was the one who put a stop to it.

Keim was arrested back in July of 2018 with a blood alcohol content of at least 0.15 percent, otherwise known as an extreme DUI.

McDonough's complaint alleges that Bidwill provided the burner phones to Cardinals executives, including then-head coach Steve Wilks, before the suspension was announced.

McDonough also claims that he has recorded conversations of himself speaking to Keim- and that he also still possesses the burner phone.

In a statement, McDonough's attorney Michael Caspino said the following, “We look forward to proving our claims before the commissioner and the truth coming out.”