Texans respond to sexual harassment lawsuit: 'We will vigorously defend ourselves'

The Houston Texans on Friday responded to a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against the team.

Former employee Kristen Grimes is suing the team for negligence, civil assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress and defamation according to a copy of the suit published by KHOU in Houston.

The suit specifically alleges that former football operations manager Jason Lowrey “fostere(ed) an Alpha-Male environment, where continuous improprieties toward female employees were not punished. In fact, they were rewarded.”

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The suit describes a 2013 incident in which Lowrey allegedly “groped Plaintiff in a bar in front of other Houston Texan employees and business guests, openly grabbing her butt.”

The suit also alleges that after Grimes attempted to sever her relationship with Lowery, he retaliated by stalking her at work and publicly accusing her of “having inappropriate relations with the Houston Texans offensive line players.”

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Grimes was eventually “constructively terminated from her employment in order to escape the hostile working conditions created by Jason Lowery and fostered by the Houston Texans organization,” the lawsuit states.

The Texans posted their response to the lawsuit on Twitter Friday, claiming that the matter “was promptly investigated and addressed” and that they “will vigorously defend ourselves against this litigation.”