A unified lawsuit on behalf of more than 2,000 National Football League players has been filed against the league in federal court, alleging that the NFL failed to acknowledge and address neurological risks associated with the sport and then deliberately failed to tell players about the risks they faced, according to attorneys representing former players.
The complaint, filed in federal court in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, unites the more than 80 pending lawsuits filed against the NFL.
“I firmly believe the NFL could have and should have done more to protect Ray. That’s why I am seeking to hold the NFL accountable,” Mary Ann Easterling, widow of former Atlanta Falcons safety Ray Easterling, who committed suicide in April after suffering for years from dementia, said in a press release. “Having lived through Ray’s struggle, I desperately hope and pray others can be spared the pain and suffering we have endured – and still endure every day.”
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy acknowledged the filing, but added that there was nothing new to the claim other than that it merges them all in one place.
"Our legal team will review today's filing that is intended to consolidate plaintiffs' existing claims into one "master" complaint," he said. "The NFL has long made player safety a priority and continues to do so. Any allegation that the NFL sought to mislead players has no merit. It stands in contrast to the league's many actions to better protect players and advance the science and medical understanding of the management and treatment of concussions."
However, many NFL players have claimed they suffer from a variety of injuries because of concussions without really knowing the severity of how badly they could be hurt playing the game.
“The NFL must open its eyes to the consequences of its actions,” Kevin Turner, a former running back for the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles who has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, said in a press release. “The NFL has the power not only to give former players the care they deserve, but also to ensure that future generations of football players do not suffer the way that many in my generation have.”
Lawyers representing the NFL players cited "dementia, depression, reduced cognitive ability, sleeplessness, early-onset Alzheimer’s, and a debilitating and latent disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy" as some of the specific injuries caused by head trauma in the NFL.
“Instead of protecting the health of its players, the NFL’s response to this epidemic of brain injuries was to engage in a campaign of deceit and deception, actively concealing the risks players faced from repetitive impacts,” Christopher Seeger and Sol Weiss, co-lead counsels for the former NFL players, said in a press release. “This case is about providing security and care to former NFL players who have suffered these devastating neurologic injuries, and making the game safer for generations to come.”
Read more about the NFL's concussion problem:
NFL to require sideline test after head blows
Former NFL players: League concealed concussion risks
Film aims to show football's culture of playing despite concussions
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How many people here did not realize that they might get a concussion or head injury from playing football ?
My parents did not let me play footbal because they knew the risk. I encourged my kids not to play football because I knew the risk.
Can I sue? My grandfather played in the days without helmets. Maybe his "trauma" resulted in a low manly reproduction count, and I'm missing potential siblings from the NFL's negligence.
This is the BEGINNING OF THE END OF THE NFL. Hey Guys it's a dangerous game! You need the NFL to tell you that?? I think that the NFL has placed some hard fast rules in to prevent injuries and I totally agree with that but to sue?
Oh brother, this is like fat people trying to sue Hostess because Twinkies are fattening and cause diabetes.
Well, now that the players know about the head-trauma, I'm sure they'll all be leaving the NFL. Right?
I mean....they'll sue because they were not told about adverse health effects.
So they MUST then be willing to give up an occupation that has them SOOOOO concerned. Right?
I mean...they'll sue because the adverse health effects have a negative impact on their health.
So their suit means that they MUST value their health over their career...and salaries. Right?
This is total crap. Are they going to sue for torn-up knees and broken bones next? You had your payday.
What's next? Pop Warner, middle school, high school and college players?
Players fly head first into each other during their careers and that is the NFL's fault? There is a limit to what an organization can do in a sport that is inherently violent. I hope a judge throws this out.
The players thought they would make millions from televised pillow fighting.
This proves that these 2000 NFL players are just jocks with no brains. Common sense dictates that you will probably hurt yourself playing the game called Football. They are just looking to score money. Yawn.....
In the big picture, I think that sports culture hurts us.
...because no one could have realized that consistent violent impact to the head could cause damage??? Hide the research? Why did we not simply enroll them in Physics 101? How do you hide the obvious? Wait! Tell them they will get wet when they walk in the rain, too!
The head trauma research did not exist in the 1970s and 80s once the information was available the older players tried to get their injuries covered under the retiree medical plan, the NFL paid it's own doctors and scientist to suggest that playing in the league HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THEIR INJURIES.
Alright,
No more tackling, hitting, or blocking in NFL games anymore.
This highlights the problem with this country...there is no individual responsiblity. If the players felt that they were being told to play when they shouldn't, they should have had their personal doctors checking them out instead of the team doctor's. Most of the players wanted to play through injuries to help their "stock" grow for future contracts or to meet contract incentives.
We all know after watching our first football game in life that the sport is hard on the human body – period. This is not news and any player claiming they didn't know playing this sport was a health risk is no better than the NFL they are suing. In fact, they deserve each other. They all wanted the money and fame, but now they want someone else to be financially liable. How American!
I am sure the lines of coke and steroid abuse didn't help these guys either.