Former Players Sue NFL For Pushing Drugs, Downplaying Side Effects

The National Football League presses its players to use drugs to mask injuries, leading many to develop addictions, 500 former football players claim in a lawsuit filed against the league in a San Francisco court. The players seek class action status for the suit, which alleges that NFL teams obtained illegal drugs and encouraged players to take them while misleading them about potential side effects. A BusinessWeek writer believes, based on “grisly” evidence already put forth by former quarterback Jim McMahon, that the NFL will be looking to keep the players from testifying before a jury. The NFL already reached a more than $900 million settlement with former players last year, in a suit about health hazards from concussions.