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.
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Are you kidding me. Of course we know that most weren't rocket scientists, but..."Didn't know that they could get hurt" It definitely confirms my expectations. What a bunch of fools.
Great initiative! It's one way of getting attention and recognition for the fact than more care is needed when a player get a concussion. While players will want to continue (their career is on the line), but they should be stopped after a concussion and at least be given more rest-time. It also raises awareness among kids and their parents that American football is a dangerous sport.
Why aren't the players suing their Union? They are the ones who negotiate their hopelessly huge contracts. Completely baseless lawsuit. I say loose the helmets altogether, give them all clubs. You want Rollerball? There it is. Pay per view would have a field day. Real Modern Gladiators.
Those players must be idiots if they had to wait until someone told them the dangers of head traumas.
The NFL uses the players like cattle, and when they can't produce anymore they cut them and send them to
the retirement home. But since most professional athletes live way out of their income, they are broke in a very short time. No pity here from that standpoint. They make very very good money, spend it on material things to impress their peers and then can't believe they are broke. Is it really necessary for them to have a $15 million dollar house, $2million in cars and children all over the country? I don't feel for them at all and hope the suit gets thrown out.
we are learning information everyday that we did not know years ago. you need to step back and not be a simpleton about this. the suit is based on the NFL withholding key data on concussions and head trauma years ago that they currently are adhering to right now.
Stupid Jocks.
They've been more than compensated with the millions they were paid to play a game.
While I agree that players get paid a lot of money and lots of them have been stupid with their money, your comment is completely unrelated to this article. We get it – You don't have sympathy to players that make $$ and blow it.
The issue is players injuries. Players should understand that they are taking a risk... that should be clear and obvious. Also, the NFL should do all that it can to alleviate injuries without effecting the game itself. Concussions are now being heavily studied and over time we will learn more and more. Hopefully there will be some ways to help reduce the amount of head injuries in the future.
What I fear is that all these lawsuits will change the game.
You must be your own advocate. As much as I doubt this suit will go anywhere, unless the league makes a settlement of some kind...but still, now that all this is known by all, equipment needs to be enhanced...as well a rule changes to get the devastating head hits out. You will hear players say "hey, that's football"...but I think that's mostly the defensive players who love to put a lick on someone.
Most of these guys have been playing football since they were kids. For heaven's sake, football is a contact sport! Very few of the games, whether they are youth league, high school, college, or professional, are played without injuries. It would be highly unlikely that any player could play in so many games and be totally oblivious to the risks. Just because you were seduced by the fame, money, and women, doesn't relieve you of your role in choosing to play. No one held a gun to your head and made you choose football as your livelihood.
Don't blame the stupid jocks.
They aren't much smarter than cattle.
It's the greedy lawyers finding new ways to become wealthy everyday.
Why limit the discussion to head injuries? Lots of other injuries can occur as well. The only way to eliminate the risk is to eliminate the game. Of course, we can't stop with football. Hockey can produce some nasty injuries also. And what about boxing? And MMA? And full contact Karate? And downhill skiing? We should get rid of all of these I guess. Also I guess we should sue every college and university with athletic programs that include contact sports. They hit pretty hard at the NCAA level, right? So this lawsuit is based on the assumption that grown men had no idea they could be hurt like this and what, they wouldn't have accepted a muti-million dollar contract if only they had been warned? Hmmm...Doubt it.
Coming soon!...National Flag Football League
How can one not know the risks of a sport where a helmet is required? This law suit makes no sense. Most people know that getting knocked in the head over the course of 10-15 years is bound to cause some lasting damage.
Why do you bums think you're making like $5 million/year?
Come on now. Next ballet dancers will sue because toe dancing hurts their feet. You think? Any strenuous activity done repetivitely in an unnatural way will damage you. That's just common sense.
Football is a contact, hard contact, sport. You chose to play, you're going to get hit. Your choice. Not the NFL's. Guess we need to have all player's parents sign a waiver, like back in high school, before they can go to the big show.
Bunch of babys...your're kidding us right?
Football causes head trauma......... DUH!!!!!!!
chess is a very safe game, probably does not pay much... I don't see any cases against chess federation....
common sense says that if you bang your head repeatedly on anything, you will suffer some brain damage.
You don't need anyone to tell you that, unless you're brain dead retarded going into the sport.
Sounds like these guys burned through their life savings, and are suing the NFL for a handout