The NFL is dealing with a concussion crisis at the moment and it’s something that former players and current players alike seem to be slowly banding together on to help prevent further tragedies like we’ve seen so far. Brain injuries from football continue to claim lives left and right, whether it be dementia, physical ailments or death.
More from NFL
- Packers training camp news: Jordan Love struggles, Bakhtiari schedule, position switch
- 3 Cowboys who won’t be on the roster after training camp
- Packers: Aaron Rodgers reached out to Jordan Love this offseason
- Damar Hamlin is a ‘full go’ at Bills training camp
- NFL rumors: Eagles RB1 hint, Bryce Young shows out, C.J. Stroud slow play
Big names are needed to make change, and that’s why Dan Marino adding his name to a lawsuit this week was such a big deal. The only thing is he never added his name to a lawsuit — at least not knowingly.
Dan Marino is now saying that he had no intention to sue the NFL. In fact, when he signed the proper paperwork, he had no idea what he’d just authorized. As Pro Football Talk points out, Marino didn’t realize that in signing paperwork to protect himself, he was actually signing on for a lawsuit.
Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald tweeted a series of Marino quotes that explain Marino’s position in this whole mess. The two below generally highlight the mess, but Salguero’s timeline holds the full plethora of quotes.
"Within the last yr I authorized a claim to be filed on my behalf just in case I needed future medical coverage 2 protect me & my family..."
— Armando Salguero (@ArmandoSalguero) June 3, 2014
"in the event I later suffered from effects of head trauma. In so doing I did not realize I would be automatically listed as a plaintiff.."
— Armando Salguero (@ArmandoSalguero) June 3, 2014
This certainly makes more sense. It’s not hard to believe that anyone suffers from concussion problems now (though Marino claims in those tweets to not be currently suffering) and it certainly makes sense that Marino would try to protect himself from future damage. It was harder to believe that Marino was really looking to put his name on a suit against the NFL when, as PFT notes, Marino is “currently negotiating for a position working with the Dolphins”
He is also currently a commentator on CBS Sports for their NFL coverage. Something tells me CBS execs would have some awkward exchanges with the NFL if Marino was to follow up on such a suit. As it turns out, the whole thing was a big misunderstanding.