At least 22 Hall of Famers have filed concussion lawsuits against the NFL. A guy who arguably should be in the Hall of Fame is joining the fray.
Former NFL quarterback Ken Stabler’s name leads the latest concussion lawsuit, filed on behalf of 74 former players.
The lawsuit, filed July 23, names the NFL and NFL Properties as defendants.
The complaint contains detailed claims regarding the league’s handling of concussions and allegedly reluctant acknowledgement of the realities of Chronic Traumatic Encephelopathy, focusing on the October 2009 Congressional hearing as the moment at which the NFL’s tune changed.
The complaint, filed in federal court in Philadelphia, also mentions on on-field incidents occurring after 2009, such as the Kevin Kolb/Stewart Bradley concussions from Week One of the 2010 season and the Austin Collie concussions of 2010, along with the league’s failure to ban “recidivist violators” like Steelers linebacker James Harrison from the game.
The action requests various legal “declarations” regarding the NFL’s responsibility for head injuries, court-ordered “medical monitoring” of injuries arising from head trauma, and compensatory and punitive damages for negligence and fraud.
The plaintiffs include former Vikings safety Joey Browner, former Dolphins receiver Mark Clayton, former AFL and NFL quarterback Babe Parilli, and former offensive lineman Ross Verba.
If Stabler ultimately secures any financial compensation, he likely won’t be keeping it. He owes the IRS more than $265,000.