April 15, 2019 Defamation / Harassment / Litigation / NFL

Patrick Chung Sued over Posted Trash Talk

On March 27, 2019, a former Los Angeles Rams ticket executive, Matthew Hogan, sued Patriots safety Patrick Chung and Matthew Weymouth over trash talk that was later posted on social media. According to the lawsuit, Hogan was “forced from his job” and now cannot find a new job after Weymouth, the man who runs Chung’s social media account, posted a text message exchange, between Hogan and Weymouth, where Hogan said, “Patrick Chung is a b***h.”

According to Hogan, the text message was a joke sent …

March 7, 2019 Litigation / NFL

UPDATE: NFL Moves to Dismiss Lawsuit Over Controversial No-Call

On February 27, 2019, the group of New Orleans Saints season ticket holders dropped their lawsuit against the NFL.

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On February 12, 2018, the NFL moved to dismiss the lawsuit brought by a group of New Orleans Saints season ticket holders over the controversial no-call in the fourth quarter of the NFC championship game. As you recall, a group of New Orleans Saints season ticket holders sued the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell with the goal of reversing their overtime playoff loss in …

March 6, 2019 NFL

Kaepernick and Reid Settle Grievance Against NFL

On February 15, 2019, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and current Carolina Panthers safety Eric Reid reached a settlement with the NFL regarding their collusion claims against the NFL.

As we have previously reported, Kaepernick accused the NFL of colluding to keep him out of the league since he became a free agent in March 2017, arguing that the NFL refused to hire him because of his 2016 national anthem protests. Kaepernick has not been with an NFL team since severing his …

March 5, 2019 NFL / Uncategorized

Detroit Lions Agent Sues Over Player’s Autograph Session

Agent Jason Bernstein, of Clarity Sports International, is suing the owner of a sports memorabilia operation, arguing that an autograph session they arranged with Detroit Lions wide receiver Kenny Golladay broke an exclusive marketing deal.

Gerry Ochs, owner of Redland Sports, is accused of arranging the autograph session through a rival agent, Todd France of Creative Artists Agency (CAA), and is alleged to have done so to lure Golladay into signing a new representation deal with CAA. The complaint states that Ochs arranged the event …

February 26, 2019 NFL

Again, Supreme Court Declines to Review NFL Diabetes Suit

The Supreme Court has once again declined to review the case filed by Aurora Moody, who argues on behalf of her son that the NFL discriminated against him because he has diabetes.

The son, Julian Moody, was a teenager when he was involved in the NFL’s high school program. He claimed in his complaint that the NFL barred him from playing in the 2012 national tournament because he has Type 1 diabetes, removing him from their program. Julian Moody claimed emotional damage and argued that …

February 19, 2019 Litigation / NFL

Former NFL Players Time Barred in Painkillers Suit

On February 6, 2019, the Ninth Circuit ruled that a group of former NFL player’s claim against the NFL was time barred. As we previously reported, back in May 201, lead plaintiff, Etopia Evans, widow of the late Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens player Charles “Chuck” Evans, and six other former NFL players sued the NFL claiming that the league illegally dispensed painkillers and pushed athletes to return to the field, ending their careers early. Back in 2008, Chuck Evans died a jail cell, …

February 8, 2019 Concussions / Litigation / NFL

Litigation Funding Companies Claim Judge Improperly Assumed Jurisdiction in Concussion Settlement Case

On January 23, 2019, three litigation-funding companies, RD Legal Funding LLC, Atlas Legal Funding LLC, and Thrivest Specialty Funding LLC told a three-judge panel that U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody, the judge who oversaw the NFL concussion case settlement, improperly assumed jurisdiction over third party funding contracts between the companies and the former players. The litigation funding companies argued that Judge Brody lacked jurisdiction to bar the litigation funding companies from recovering their stake in the settlement.

As we have previously reported, in …

February 7, 2019 Litigation / NFL

Angry Saints Fans Sue Over Controversial No-Call

In the fourth quarter of the NFC championship game, the New Orleans Saints were tied 20-20 with the Los Angeles Rams. The Saints were marching down the field and it appeared they were on the verge of scoring a touchdown and leaving the Rams with little to no time to respond. On a crucial third down, Saints quarterback Drew Brees dropped back and threw a pass near the five-yard line, on the right sideline, intended for Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis; however, Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman …

February 6, 2019 Doping / Litigation / NFL

Lane Johnson Fights to Keep Suit Against NFL and NFLPA Alive

On January 16, 2019, Lane Johnson, a right tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles, fought a motion for summary judgment in his case against the NFL and the NFLPA. Johnson argues that an arbitrator who handled an appeal in his 10-game Performance Enhancing Drug policy suspension, failed to disclose a conflict of interest. Back in 2016, Johnson filed his lawsuit after an arbitration proceeding which upheld his 10-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drugs policy.

Johnson alleges that James Carter, an arbitrator and senior counsel …

January 31, 2019 Class Actions / Concussions / Litigation / NFL

Law Firm Asks For $3.2M From Concussion Settlement Fund

Seeger Weiss LLP, a law firm representing some of the former NFL players involved in a class action lawsuit against the NFL, asked Untied States District Court Judge Anita Brody to distribute $3.2 million from a common benefit fund to pay Seeger Weiss LLP, and a handful of other firms, for work they performed in the class-action lawsuit.

As we have previously reported, in April 2015, the NFL entered into a settlement agreement with almost 22,000 former players. The settlement established a 65-year uncapped …