Ex-mascot claims Denver Nuggets fired him after hip surgery, sparking high-profile legal discrimination fight.

The Denver Nuggets mascot is taking the team’s owner to court after he says he was wrongfully fired. The man who wore that costume for three seasons, Drake Solomon, says he went on medical leave for a double hip replacement and was fired after returning to work.

Lionel Taylor, an original Denver Bronco and a member of the team's Ring of Fame, has died, according to the team. Taylor, who was 89, died Aug. 6, his family confirmed to the Broncos. He was a member of the 1960 Broncos -- the first year the franchise played in the then-newly formed AFL -- and was the first receiver in either AFL or NFL history to have at least 100 receptions in a season.