SAN FRANCISCO — A federal jury Monday ordered the NFL Players Association to pay $28.1 million to retired players after finding the union failed to properly market their images.
The jury said the union owed the retirees $7.1 million in actual damages for failing to include them in lucrative marketing deals with Electronic Arts Inc., the maker of the popular “Madden NFL” video games, trading card companies and other sponsorship agreements.
Hall of Fame cornerback Herb Adderley filed the lawsuit last year on behalf of 2,056 retired players. The lawyers and judge still must decide how to divvy up the jury’s award, some of which will go to attorneys’ fees.
Adderley, 69, played for the Packers and Cowboys and appeared in four of the first six Super Bowls. He appeared every day in court wearing his yellow “NFL Alumni” sports jacket and wept when the verdict was read.
“I won three Super Bowls and this feels better than all of them combined,” Adderley said. “I always felt I had one big play left.”
Richard Berthelsen, the union’s acting executive director, said outside court the NFLPA would ask the trial judge, U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup, to toss out the verdict. If that fails, it intends to appeal.
“It’s an unjust verdict and we are confident it will be overturned,” union lawyer Jeffrey Kessler said.
Chiefs’ Johnson sued
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A 24-year-old Kansas woman filed a lawsuit against Chiefs running back Larry Johnson a month after claiming he spit a drink in her face at a bar and threatened to kill her and her boyfriend.
“She’s willing to be the person who finally makes Larry Johnson answer for his repeated bad behavior,” attorney Kirra N. Jones said of client Ashley N. Stewart.
Footnotes.
Five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Ty Law agreed to terms on a one- year deal with the Jets after sitting out the first 10 weeks of the season.
• Matt Hasselbeck (back) will practice with Seattle’s starting offense this week and Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said he plans on the quarterback starting Sunday against the Cardinals.
• Saints cornerback Mike McKenzie’s fractured right kneecap will keep him out for the rest of the season.
• Patriots linebacker Adalius Thomas likely will miss the rest of the season with a broken left forearm.
• Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, Tampa Bay’s fourth- year running back, said he’s “good to go” after being sidelined more than 13 months with a serious knee injury.
• Packers linebacker Nick Barnett will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.
• Clinton Portis (knee) was unable to practice and Redskins coach Jim Zorn said the running back is “50-50” for Sunday night’s game against Dallas.
• The Vikings placed cornerback Charles Gordon (ankle) on injured reserve.
The Associated Press
