March 2, 2020 Gambling / NFL / Sports Betting / Sports Gambling

Illinois Village Mayor and Brother of Former Bears Linebacker Charged in Gambling Ring

Casey Urlacher, brother of Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher, was among a group of ten people charged with operating an illegal offshore sports gambling ring on Feb. 20, 2020.

According to the indictment, the alleged ringleader, Vincent DelGiudice, paid a Costa Rican-based sportsbook service a fee to use its online gambling platform. DelGiudice then solicited gamblers to place wagers on the website. To increase the number of gamblers, DelGiudice hired agents, including Urlacher, to enlist additional gamblers in exchange for a cut of their …

November 20, 2019 Doping / Litigation / NFL

Former Football Players Fight Back, Tell Ninth Circuit That NFL Was Directly Involved in Painkiller Lawsuit

In a lawsuit where former NFL players accused the league of doping them with amphetamines and painkillers, the players have responded to the NFL’s effort to end their appeal in the Ninth Circuit.

As we reported earlier, former Chicago Bears players Richard Dent and Jim McMahon sued the NFL in 2014, claiming that the league facilitated the use of opioids, anesthetics, and drugs like Toradol without prescriptions, violating the Controlled Substances Act . While their lawsuit was initially dismissed by a district court for being …

November 5, 2019 Class Actions / Doping / Litigation / NFL

NFL Tells Ninth Circuit to End Painkiller Class Action Lawsuit

The NFL argued to the Ninth Circuit that the lawsuit from former players should be dismissed, as it was individual teams, not the league, that supplied the players with amphetamines and painkillers.

In 2014, former Chicago Bears players Richard Dent and Jim McMahon sued the NFL, claiming that teams frequently use opioids, anesthetics, and anti-inflammatory drugs like Toradol. They alleged that such drug use often does not require prescriptions and that the teams do not take into account medical history, substance abuse treatment or potentially …

June 4, 2019 Copyright / NFL

Judge Rules that Documentary’s Use of “Super Bowl Shuffle” Didn’t Violate Copyright

The U.S. District Court ruled on May 30, 2019 that a documentary’s feature of the “Super Bowl Shuffle” song in its film did not violate the song’s copyright.

The fan-favorite rap song, performed by Walter Payton and other Chicago Bears players, was originally made famous in 1985, when the Bears won Super Bowl XX. Snippets of the song were used in the documentary “85: The Greatest Team in Football History,” a 2016 film by Scott Prestin celebrating the Chicago Bears’ championship season.

The lawsuit was …

December 21, 2018 Litigation / NFL

Packers Fan Cannot Force Bears to let him wear Green Bay Gear, For Now

On December 13, 2018, Russell Beckman, a longtime Green Bay Packers fan and a Chicago Bears season ticket holder, asked U.S. District Judge Joan Gottschall to enjoin a Chicago Bears, and Soldier Field, policy prohibiting participants in a pregame Bears Season Ticket Holder Experience from wearing non-Bears apparel on the sidelines. Beckman continues to claim that the Bears-gear-only policy violates Beckman’s right to free speech.

As we have previously covered, Beckman, representing himself, sued the NFL and the Chicago Bears after he was not …

April 6, 2018 Litigation / NFL

Packers Fan Suing Bears Over Fan Gear Survives Motion to Dismiss

On March 30, 2018, U.S. District Judge Joan B. Gottschall ruled that Russell Beckman, a longtime Green Bay Packers fan, did not established that he had standing to sue the NFL, but he did meet his burden in his First Amendment claim against the Chicago Bears. As we have previously covered, Beckman, representing himself, sued the NFL and the Chicago Bears after he was not allowed entry to a Bears Season Ticket Holder Experience event at Soldier Field because he was wearing Green …

April 2, 2018 Concussions / Litigation / NFL

Former Chicago Bear Sues NFL for Damages from Concussions

On March 27, 2018, former Chicago Bear Craig Steltz filed a lawsuit against the NFL in Louisiana federal court. In the lawsuit, Steltz requested financial compensation for the chronic injuries, expenses, and intangible losses suffered as a result of the NFL’s “intentional tortious misconduct, including fraud, intentional misrepresentation, and negligence.” Steltz claimed that he suffers from the pathological and debilitating effects of mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI) caused by the repeated concussive and sub-concussive impacts that he experienced while playing in the NFL. Steltz, a …

June 26, 2017 Litigation / NFL

No Pack No! Bears Sued by Packers Fan over Fan Gear

Longtime Green Bay Packers fan Russell Beckman filed a putative class action against the Chicago Bears in Illinois federal court on Friday, June 16, 2017. Beckman is accusing the team of violating fans’ right to free speech by not allowing fans to wear clothing or gear that supports opposing teams when the fan attends any on-field event.

Beckman has owned a personal seat license at Soldier Field since 2003 but more often than not, only attends Bears games at Soldier Field when they play the …

April 27, 2015 Concussions / Litigation / NFL

NFL Concussion Settlement Likely to be Appealed for Failing CTE Victims

The estate of former Chicago Bears safety, expressed an intention to appeal the approval of the most recent settlement between the NFL and retired players over the concussion litigation, which looks to pay out almost $1 billion in compensation.

Wednesday’s settlement provides the greatest amount of relief any of the prior settlements have offered, lifting the $765 million cap that once restricted the amount the NFL would pay out. Under the settlement, players would receive compensation in varying amounts for varying diseases; a diagnosis …

January 15, 2015 NFL

Bears Cornerback Tim Jennings Arrested: DUI, Speeding

Chicago’s Tim Jennings was arrested on Wednesday in Georgia for driving under the influence and speeding as well as reckless driving (you can learn more from Louisiana Speeding Ticket Lawyer and how they handle cases such as this). Initially, he was stopped for driving 99 mph in a 65-mph zone. Jennings reportedly told the officer that he was late for a parent-teacher conference. Then the arresting officer “noticed a strong odor of alcoholic beverages and began a DUI investigation. Ultimately, Jennings was charged with …