Former Player Harry Hamilton Sues NFL Over Concussions

Harry Hamilton, an NFL safety for eight seasons in the 1980s and ’90s, has opted out of the concussion settlement and is suing the league. And there’s a twist.

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Harry Hamilton had a reputation as a hard-hitting free safety during his eight-year career with the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1984-91.

The 51-year-old opted out of the class action settlement between the league and thousands of former players and filed suit against the NFL in federal court in Pennsylvania seeking $5 million in damages.

The twist? Hamilton is now a practicing attorney in Lemont, Pa.

"“What is outlawed now is how I played the game,” Hamilton told The Citizens’ Voice of Wilkes-Barre, Pa. “I led with my head.”"

Hamilton said he suffers lapses in memory, headaches, a short temper and other symptoms that he claims were caused by the many concussions he sustained during his career. He says the number of concussions he had is dependent upon how one defines the term.

"“Some say a concussion is when you see stars or when you get your bell rung,” Hamilton said. “Because of the way I played the game, I got my bell rung all the time.”"

Hamilton says that like many players, he needs to take painkillers just to get through a normal day or work because of the toll his NFL career took on his body. Even worse, he said, it the loss of what had been a nearly photographic memory.

"“Every day I forget something,” Hamilton said. He added that he still has fond, detailed memories of his playing days in high school and at Penn State, but said remembering his NFL days is “fuzzy.”"

Hamilton says he is concerned he won’t be able to continue working until regular retirement age and that his sons are concerned his memory loss will worsen.

"“That’s scary,” Hamilton said. “For someone who spent his life always being at the top of his game, it is very, very scary.”"

Hamilton had 23 interceptions and one sack in eight seasons in the league. While many fans mock the players who are trying to get some sort of compensation for their football-related injuries, the fact is that the culture of the sport in the 1980s and 1990s was vastly different than it is today.

Most different? The injury culture. Players were expected to play until they had to be scraped off the field by a Zamboni and not complain about it.

That mentality certainly led to players taking risks that they probably shouldn’t have taken and to taking those risks with the blessing of team medical authorities.

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