SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -A judge has dismissed a lawsuit accusing the NFL players’ union of inadequately representing 3,500 retired players.
Judge William H. Alsup of the federal district court dismissed the case Thursday by former NFL player Bernie Parrish and Herb Adderley. It alleged the NFL Players Association and its licensing subsidiary, Players Inc., has done little to secure licensing deals with clothing manufacturers, video game makers and other venues. It also sought class-action status to represent the 3,500 retired players, who it says might be owed “tens of millions of dollars.”
Parrish was a defensive back with the Cleveland Browns and Houston Oilers from 1959 to 1966. Adderley was a cornerback for the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys from 1961 through 1972.
The lawsuit claimed $7 million was given to 358 retired players in 2005, meaning a small percentage of players have been compensated.
The union said in a statement in April that its motions to dismiss were based on what it called “the frivolous nature of the suit.”
In a prepared statement Friday, the association said “those claims have now been rejected by a federal judge as having no merit whatsoever as pled.”
“The court found that Parrish’s complaint was a combination of smoke and mirrors,” said Jeffrey Kessler, attorney for the NFLPA.
“Aside from one more deposition, the judge has stopped all discovery starting September 10 by Parrish and his co-claimants against the NFLPA because of the Court’s doubts that the plaintiffs will ever be able to state a claim.”
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