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
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Are they even suggesting that if the NFL said hard hits cause head trauma (does not bear mentioning ANYWAY) they would have chosen a different career path???
I call Shenanigans!
This just in. Bashing your head repeatedly is harmful to your health. Stupid jocks....
OH please, maybe they should sue someone for not having common since. GIVE ME a break. My cousin use to play for the San Diego Chargers and 49ers. When his career was over I asked him why did you leave? He said it caused too much brain damage. Joking about it of course. And this was back in 1985. These players knew the risk since they were little kids playing football. And idiots like this are going to turn the NFL into Flag Football.
First they go into this sport making a ton of money,but wait,lets buy that multi million dollar house ,have kids,buy everything we can with all this money ,send the kids to the best schools,of course get married ,then aftrer what 10,15,20 years of playing this idiotic game lets sue the very people who gave you this job in the first place....now if these guys had ANY intelligence ....why didnt we just hit their head with a baseball bat 50 times, same outcome....did they not realize this would happen to them ?
I bet if they were told in full detail about head trauma, all would have played anyway.
I played. I knew the risks. You play because you love the game, and you block out the risks. These guys knew what they were getting into.
This really shows the I.Q . level of most football players ,and will higher the price for a ticket.
"and will higher the price of a ticket"? I think you just showed your IQ there buddy. Perhaps you meant RAISE the price of a ticket.
So did you miss the point, Keith?
What? This is ridiculous...when society has gotten to the point where a bunch of people who got rich playing with a ball are able to file a law suit against the organization that gave them that opportunity! and especially considering that each and every one of them was well aware of the risk. just stupid. quit whining and get a life...so your career is over. man up and get a new one don't go around suing people.
Nobody should have to tell an individual that they might get hurt playing football. Its kind of a given. These athletes made a choice and now some are suffering the consequences of their choices. We live in a day and age of way too many frivolous lawsuits.
What next ? Is smoking bad for you?
What do you think you get paid for? Entertain us.
Number of players that would not play if they introduced a 4,000 page "Side effect of playing include..." = ZERO
Poor babies. They get paid millions when they're only worth thousands because of the risk of the game. Their greed got them to where they are, so don't try to pretend you didn't know what you were doing. I imagine you didn't have much trouble cashing those seven figure paychecks, did you?
Next up, soccer players unifying over pains in their feet, baseball players unifying over vibrations from swinging bats that cause arthritis in their hands, golfers complaining about.....well.....lets face it golf isn't really a sport
This is nonsense, these players played an aggressive sport and were paid incredibly for it and now they want the sport to suddenly switch to professional flag football!?! Give me a break.
Why do they think they get paid so much money?
If you don't want to do the job don't no one is forcing these guys to play.
there are safer jobs.
I'll play in the NFL for a year on their salaries.
Understand the risk and the issues being addressed, however................ NFL players sign contracts worth millions. They live the dream and laugh all the way to the bank. Players know the risk, they knew it while playing in high school and college. If the NFL is going to be held responsible, reduce their salary down to an average American salary for playing a sport. This is UNSAT and greedy as hell!! I hope the judge throws this claim out of court and shames all 2,000 of these crooks!
Amazing. Does assumption of the risk mean anything to these clowns? What's next? A class action from former boxers saying their heads hurt.