Former Running Backs Suing NFL Over Concussions

Former Pro-Bowl RBs Jamal Lewis and Dorsey Levens, along with two other former NFL players, have filed a lawsuit against the NFL alleging that the league intentionally withheld knowledge of possible dangers and long term effects of concussion related injuries from players and teams. All 4 players named in the suit report suffering ongoing symptoms related to sustaining concussions while playing including memory loss, headaches and sleeplessness. The players claim that the NFL was aware of the long term dangers of concussions as early as the 1920s and that it chose not to share this information with the league's players and coaches until June 2010 where the NFL finally acknowledged the health risks that had been plaguing former NFL players.

This lawsuit is the latest in a string of lawsuits that have been filed by former NFL players against the NFL relating to concussions during the past year. Since this past summer no fewer than 6 separate cases have been brought against the NFL, all of which allege some iteration of negligence and misconduct on the part of the NFL and that the league did not do everything in its power to protect the safety of its players. More than 100 former players are named in these lawsuits and it appears that all of them cite the fact that the NFL was aware of the damaging consequences that resulted from sustaining concussions but did not make an effort to warn players about these dangers which they now feel is the reason they are suffering so many concussion-related maladies in the post-playing careers.

It seems to me that much of the anger that is being shown on the players' side stems less from the fact that they didn't feel properly educated and treated while they were playing (even though that appears to very much have been the case) but instead comes more from the lack of treatment and care they have received from the NFL since they retired. This continues to be a growing issue for the NFL which has come under attack in recent years for failing to look after the well-being of its players after their playing days are over, most notably after former defensive back Andre Waters committed suicide and it was later discovered he suffered severe brain damage from concussions he sustained as a player that directly lead to the depression that ended up taking his life. Since Waters' death in 2006 more and more former players have come forward against the NFL and I can only imagine that will continue to be the case for years to come.

The NFL of course has made a point starting last season to mandate a safer form of tackling and limiting reckless play but obviously the long term benefits of that plan (which is a good one, despite what the James Harrisons of the world might say) will take many years to manifest themselves and between then and now expect to the NFL come under more and more fire.