Almost immediately after the release of the New York Times article that claimed the NFL used faulty data in its concussion research, the NFL faced yet another class action lawsuit. Since the article’s release, the NFL has disputed the allegations. The NFL threatened a defamation lawsuit in its demand that the Times retract the article. However, the Times refused to retract and has defended its reporting.
About a week after this class action was filed, Rose Stabler, wife of deceased Oakland Raiders quarterback Kenny Stabler, joined the class action as a named plaintiff. Kenny Stabler was a star quarterback, an NFL MVP, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2016 class. He passed away from colon cancer in July; however, he was posthumously diagnosed with degenerative brain disease CTE.
The amended complaint that added Rose Stabler as a named plaintiff refers to the uncapped settlement between the NFL and another class of former players. This settlement is currently being appealed because it fails to consider those diagnosed with CTE after the April 2015 settlement agreement. The amended complaint estimates that Stabler’s family could recover about $980,000 if the settlement included those diagnosed with CTE after the cutoff date.
In addition to a medical monitoring program to help those players who are believed to suffer from brain injuries, the complaint also seeks compensation for former NFL players and their spouses.