Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II speaks at the 2026 NFL Draft clock reveal on May 12, 2025 — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Attorneys for a former Pittsburgh Steelers employee, Allegheny County resident Chelsea Zahn, filed a six-count lawsuit in federal court against the Steelers on Tuesday, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Zahn claims she faced discrimination and unequal pay due to her gender and sexual orientation. Zahn was a sales manager for the Steelers from 2013-2024.
The lawsuit claims the Steelers created “a hostile work environment” and that team president Art Rooney II specifically denied Zahn more than $50,000 in commissions in 2024.
“In 2024, Zahn earned $100,625 in commission, a number she called the highest sponsorship-related figure earned by any corporate sales manager that year, the lawsuit said.”
Zahn’s attorneys claim Rooney “decided not to pay her the entire … amount owed.”
“The reason provided was that Mr. Rooney was ‘upset that (she) left the company,’ ” the suit said.
Instead, a check for $50,000 was issued, which Zahn did not cash, claiming she was not paid the full amount because she is a gay woman.
Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II before a game against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 15, 2024. — Alan Saunders / Steelers Now
The lawsuit claimed the reason given by Rooney was “pretextual and unworthy of belief as heterosexual male employees of the defendant were paid their full bonuses/commissions owed to them after they had left their employment with defendant.”
According to WTAE, the lawsuit states that Zahn suffered emotional, psychological, and physical distress and alleges gender discrimination, retaliation, and violations of the Equal Pay Act, the Civil Rights Act, and human relations law.
“This is a disappointment to all Steelers fans, that the team we all follow so closely is involved in discriminating against women and against people who are not heterosexual,” said attorney Joel Sansone, whose firm filed the lawsuit, via the Tribune-Review.
“We intend to follow this all the way through,” Sansone added. “Personally, this is hard for me. I bleed black and gold. But my firm wants to make sure the team we all love follows the rules in this country.”
Steelers spokesman Burt Lauten told Tribune-Review in an email on Thursday, “We won’t be commenting.”
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