The NFL league office has been busy attempting to handle the concussion lawsuits in front of them. And now they face another big issue regarding the health of former players.
According to the Associated Press, a class action suit has been filed by retired NFL players. The lawsuit says the league illegally supplied players with painkillers to hide injuries, and that the drugs had a negative effect on the players’ health. It also alleges that the painkillers were used to speed up recovery time for injured players—so they could return to the field quicker than expected.
There are eight former players listed on the lawsuit. They include DE Richard Dent and QB Jim McMahon, among others. They’ll be attempting to prove that the drugs were improperly prescribed by doctors, who may not have disclosed the risks attached to taking the medication. On the other side of the ball, the league will likely attempt to show that players assumed the risk of long-term health complications by ingesting the drugs in order to play.
Lawyers say over 400 plaintiffs have signed on to the lawsuit, which was filed Tuesday in federal court in San Francisco.