Another sports executive caught with his pants down—literally—as Detroit Tigers Assistant GM Sam Menzin resigns after allegedly sending unsolicited genital photos to female colleagues via Snapchat since 2017.
At a Glance
- Sam Menzin resigned as Detroit Tigers Assistant GM amid allegations of sending unsolicited photos of his genitals to three women
- The misconduct reportedly began in 2017, with Menzin using Snapchat’s self-deleting feature to send the explicit content
- Two victims worked for the Tigers while another worked elsewhere in baseball
- Menzin resigned before the team could fire him following their investigation
- Victims didn’t come forward earlier because they feared they wouldn’t be believed due to Menzin’s powerful position
Another Executive Caught in a Compromising Position
Well folks, here we go again. Another day, another high-ranking sports executive who apparently couldn’t figure out that sharing unsolicited pictures of his private parts isn’t exactly professional workplace behavior. Sam Menzin, who spent 13 years climbing the ranks at the Detroit Tigers organization from intern to Assistant General Manager, has unceremoniously resigned after allegations surfaced that he sent explicit photos to multiple female colleagues. What is it with men in positions of power thinking their genitalia is the corporate gift that keeps on giving? I don’t recall that being covered in any management training I’ve ever seen.
A Pattern of Misconduct
According to reports, Menzin’s inappropriate behavior dates back to 2017, with three women coming forward to claim they received unwanted photos of his genitals via Snapchat. For those who aren’t familiar with the platform, Snapchat conveniently deletes images after they’re viewed—how thoughtful of him to choose an app that destroys the evidence! Two of the women worked for the Tigers, while the third worked elsewhere in baseball. But hey, at least he was expanding his network of harassment beyond just his immediate colleagues, right? Nothing says “industry leadership” quite like distributing unsolicited crotch shots across organizational lines.
What’s particularly disturbing is how Menzin reportedly tried to save face on his way out the door. According to the New York Post, he claimed his resignation was due to a “career change and family issues.” Well, I suppose “I got caught sending pictures of my junk to female coworkers” doesn’t look quite as good on a resignation letter. The Tigers were about to fire him anyway, but he beat them to the punch, perhaps hoping to maintain some shred of professional dignity. Good luck with that job search, Sam!
The Power Imbalance That Silences Victims
Perhaps the most infuriating aspect of this story is why these women felt they couldn’t come forward sooner. The power dynamics at play here showcase exactly what’s wrong with corporate America. These women feared nobody would believe their word against that of a rising star executive. The culture of silence around harassment continues to protect the perpetrators while leaving victims to suffer in silence. It’s a tale as old as time, and apparently as relevant in 2025 as it was decades ago.
One victim summed it up perfectly when she explained why she didn’t report the harassment earlier: “It always felt like saying something wasn’t an option, because who is going to believe you and do anything about it? It’s just this overall sense that (reporting something) wasn’t an option.” This is the real tragedy here—women who felt trapped and powerless in their own workplace, forced to endure inappropriate behavior because the alternative seemed worse. In America, land of opportunity, shouldn’t we be past this kind of medieval power dynamic by now?
Accountability Matters
The Tigers organization has put out the typical corporate statement emphasizing their commitment to “a positive and safe culture” and stating that “this type of behavior is contrary to our standards and has absolutely no place within our organization.” That’s all well and good, but where was this vigilance when the misconduct was allegedly happening for years? It’s easy to take a stand after the fact, but the real test of organizational values is preventing this behavior in the first place and creating an environment where victims feel safe to speak up immediately.
Menzin hasn’t publicly commented on the allegations, which is hardly surprising. What could he possibly say? “Sorry my thumb slipped and accidentally sent photos of my genitals to multiple women over several years”? At the end of the day, this is yet another reminder that no matter how far we think we’ve come as a society, there are still too many individuals who view their positions of power as licenses to behave inappropriately. Here’s hoping the Tigers and other organizations learn from this and create workplaces where harassment isn’t tolerated, and victims aren’t afraid to speak up.
