Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Filed by Ex-NFL Player Matt Kalil Against Haley Kalil Over Public Comments

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by former NFL offensive lineman Matt Kalil against his ex-wife, Haley Kalil, after she publicly discussed their marriage and sex life. U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz ruled that Haley Kalil's remarks, made during a Twitch livestream in November 2025, were protected speech concerning matters of legitimate public interest.

Matt Kalil, who played for the Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers, had sued his ex-wife seeking more than $75,000 in damages, alleging her comments about his penis size subjected him and his new wife to unwanted public attention and disturbing messages. The couple married in 2015 and divorced in 2022.

Haley Kalil had argued that her comments were protected by the First Amendment. Judge Schiltz agreed, stating in his ruling that her remarks were tied to her own life, marriage, and divorce, which are subjects of public concern given her status as a public figure and former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model. The judge noted that if Matt Kalil's celebrity stemmed solely from his football career and Haley was a mere gossip, the outcome might have been different.

"In short, Haley was discussing her life, not Matt's, and the law generally protects a person's speech about herself, even though such speech inevitably reveals details about others," the judge wrote, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Haley Kalil expressed relief over the ruling, telling TMZ, "I am so relieved this is over. I never wanted to be in a courtroom discussing matters of my own life." She added, "I think this ruling is important and I hope it encourages women everywhere to speak openly about what they've been through. Your story belongs to you and you shouldn't fear sharing it."

Haley's attorney, Matt Bialick, echoed this sentiment, stating, "No woman should need her ex-husband's permission to tell the story of her own marriage. No woman should be sued for talking about her own body. We hope this ruling gives women everywhere the confidence to share their own stories."

Matt Kalil's lawsuit claimed that his family had been forced to endure the "ongoing public circulation of these degrading and deeply personal statements." His legal team had sought a jury trial.

Haley Kalil's legal team had previously argued that she did not explicitly name Matt Kalil in her comments, and that any identification of him was based on his public profile as an NFL player married to a public figure. They contended that a woman's right to truthfully recount her relationships and past experiences is central to First Amendment protections.