Two former NFLers filed a lawsuit against the NFLPA Thursday in federal court, alleging the union conspired to hide the health consequences of concussions. It is believed to be the first time the union has been sued over the issue. In a statement, the NFLPA said the lawsuit “erroneously alleges that the NFLPA knowingly and fraudulently concealed from players the risks of head injuries players faced by playing in NFL games and practices over the last several decades. This lawsuit has no merit and we will defend our union and our past Presidents.” In addition to the union, the complaint names past player presidents Trace Armstrong, Kevin Mawae and Troy Vincent as defendants.
The thrust of the complaint is that the union worked together with the NFL to downplay the risks of playing football. A federal judge recently preliminarily agreed to a settlement of concussion claims against the league. Christian Ballard, who played with the Vikings from '11-12, and Gregory Westbrooks, who played from '75-81, filed this lawsuit. The complaint alleges there are thousands of other potential plaintiffs.
