PHILADELPHIA — Six former players and one current player sued the NFL over the league’s handling of concussion-related injuries, the first potential class-action lawsuit of its kind.
The players accuse the league of training players to hit with their heads, failing to properly treat them for concussions and trying to conceal for decades any links between football and brain injuries.
The plaintiffs include two-time Super Bowl champion Jim McMahon, who has said he played through five concussions but now frequently walks around “in a daze” and forgets why he entered a room.
The suit accuses the NFL of negligence and intentional misconduct in its response to the headaches, dizziness and dementia that former players have reported. The suit, filed Wednesday, seeks medical monitoring along with funds to pay for the care of injured players.
The other plaintiffs include Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas, 26; Ray Easterling, 61; Wayne Radloff, 50; Gerry Feehery, 51; Mike Furrey, 34; and Steve Kiner, 64.
• Albert Haynesworth‘s lawyer has repeatedly offered money to a waitress so she would help convince the government to drop her sexual abuse case against the defensive lineman, prosecutors said.
The New England Patriots defensive lineman is accused of sliding his credit card into the waitress’ bra and touching her breast at a hotel where he was having drinks with friends in February. Prosecutors wrote in a court document that on “numerous occasions” after the allegations, Haynesworth’s lawyer approached the waitress’ attorney and offered money. The case is set for trial Tuesday in Washington.
• Buffalo Bills linebacker Shawne Merriman will miss Saturday’s preseason game against the Broncos to rest a sore right knee.
Former NBA coach Robertson dies
RUSTON, La. — Scotty Robertson, a former Louisiana Tech coach and the first coach of the NBA’s New Orleans Jazz, died of cancer. Robertson, who also coached the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons and compiled a 109-178 record in the NBA, was 81.
• ESPN analyst and former NBA player Jalen Rose was released from a suburban Detroit jail after serving 16 days for drunken driving.
• The NBA said its exhibition schedule will start Oct. 9, provided a new collective bargaining agreement with the players can be reached in time.
Footnotes.
New Jersey Devils center Travis Zajac will miss at least six weeks of the NHL season after undergoing surgery to repair his left Achilles tendon.
• Southern California guard Jio Fontan will miss the upcoming season after tearing a ligament in his left knee during the Trojans’ exhibition tour in Brazil.
• San Diego State center Brian Carlwell has been denied a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA.
• After a shaky start, Jordyn Wieber took the lead after the first day of competition at the U.S. gymnastics championships in St. Paul, Minn. The 16-year-old scored 59.85 points, putting her 1.85 ahead of Aly Raisman going into Saturday night’s finals. Brandie Jay of Fort Collins was 11th at 54.30 after a third-place finish in the vault.
Denver Post wire services
