At a time when many assumed free-agent defensive end Anthony Hargrove would sue the NFL for allegedly false statements made about him in the context of last year’s bounty brouhaha, Hargrove has indeed filed suit. But not for that.
Hargrove has joined the latest concussion lawsuit, filed Friday in Manhattan federal court.
The cookie-cutter complaint, a copy of which PFT has obtained, alleges that Hargrove “has suffered and continues to suffer from permanent injuries including, but not limited to, severe headaches, memory loss, depression, isolation, mental anguish and diminished self-esteem.”
Those are basically the same injuries that Redskins quarterback Pat White alleged in his concussion claim -- until he pulled the plug on the lawsuit once he got an offer from an NFL team after three years out of the game. Chances are that Hargrove, who played for the Rams, Bills, Saints, and Seahawks, would do the same thing, if someone were to offer him a job.
Of course, the chances of Hargrove being offered a job already were low, given his role in the bounty scandal. In light of the new sensitivity to the issue of free agents who have sued the NFL for concussions, Hargrove’s path back to the league likely has gotten a little steeper.