NFL Sued Over Painkillers
Some former NFL players accuse teams of mandating the use of painkillers that caused long-term health problems.
A new lawsuit accuses a former Detroit Lions coach and other past NFL personnel of requiring players to take painkillers with no regard for their long-term health.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of hundreds of former NFL players, claims team trainers and medical staff obtained and provided painkilling-medication knowing that it could harm those it was given to.
The plaintiffs also allege that some of the painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication came from prescriptions filled-out in players’ names without their knowledge.
The suit names every NFL team as a defendant and accuses several ex-coaches and assistants, including former Detroit Lions head coach Wayne Fontes, of telling players they would be cut from the team if they did not take a painkiller and get back on the football field.
A similar lawsuit filed last year was dismissed by a California judge who ruled that the matter should be settled within the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement with players.
That decision is being appealed.
