Former Bengals and Eagles Tight End Matt Schobel is Latest To File Suit Against NFL

All, Legal, NFL Jason Lisk April 20th. 2012, 11:41am

Matt Schobel, who retired after the 2008 season after playing 7 years with the Bengals and Eagles as a tight end, is the latest to file suit against the NFL as a result of head injuries. The suit has been filed in Houston, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, and it appears that Schobel is the only party to this particular suit. (The pleadings identify only Schobel as a party but fail to list him, while listing three plaintiffs from an earlier suit-Lamar Lathon, Charles Alexander and Greg LaFleur, which we assume will be amended).

The allegations are similar to those contained in most of the previous cases filed–negligence, fraud, fraudulent concealment, and negligent misrepresentation–which I broke down earlier in the week. Matt Schobel entered the league in 2002, the year after his brother Aaron, who played for Buffalo. Thus, his case is more tied to the actions of the NFL and the MTBI committee that I discussed earlier.

The Complaint: Matt Schobel vs. the NFL

[photo via U.S. Presswire]

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47 Responses to “Former Bengals and Eagles Tight End Matt Schobel is Latest To File Suit Against NFL”

1
Clayton Cargill Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 11:47 AM
Seriously dude, toss in a video of a hot coed doing the Ickey Shuffle.
Or, for Philly, two hideous women fighting About Cheez Wiz
2
payaso Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 11:51 AM
The NFL’s gonna pay out the ass to settle this. I love it.
3
Eric T0upal aka BrawnyTom Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 11:53 AM
The NFL’s gonna pay out the ass to settle this. I love it.*
*Agree as long as the cost isn’t pushed on to me or the current players.
4
devang Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 11:57 AM
*Agree as long as the cost isn’t pushed on to me or the current players.
Nah, that’ll never happen…
5
José Ovechkin Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 11:57 AM
*Agree as long as the cost isn’t pushed on to me or the current players.
I’m sure it will be.
I wonder if all this stuff going down in the NFL will affect the UFC/Boxng ever?
6
Jim Harbaugh Scramble Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 11:58 AM
these comments should be good. may as well get the inflammatory comments started now.
Shame on the NFL for forcing Matt Schobel to play football!
7
T.E. Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 11:58 AM
the year after his brother Aaron, who played for Buffalo
This guy had a strange career. He was an expert at getting garbage-time sacks at the end of games that were already decided, so he consistently posted 10+ sack years without ever being a true pass rushing threat.
8
kaiserwilhelmreems Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 11:58 AM
The NFL’s gonna pay out the ass to settle this. I love it.
it will take a while, first the players have to prove the NFL put a gun to their head and said “you have no choice but to play football, or we will hunt down your family like Kaiser Souze”
9
ms621 Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 11:59 AM
may as well get the inflammatory comments started now.
Sounds good to me. I’ll help.
I think NASCAR drives should sue NASCAR for making them drive so fast. It’s inherently unsafe.
10
VladimirCrouton Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:01 PM
Shame on the NFL for forcing Matt Schobel to play football!
Modern day slave.
11
Some Random Old Dude Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:03 PM
Lisk, your breakdown was first-rate (as always).
My fear is there will be payouts, but negligible. Not enough to ease the suffering of any particular player.
I don’t see coming a cultural sea change regarding how the game on the field is played. I don’t believe America will support the type of game that would minimize the injury risk.
The danger is what we lust after. Somebody else absorbs it, we vicariously enjoy it.
12
roger from oz Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:03 PM
This class action injury issue is the biggest issue the NFL is going to face in the next 25 years.
13
Gerard Portmanteau Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:05 PM
Lisk, how’s the commenter mock coming? When can we expect to see it up?
14
ms621 Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:05 PM
Modern day slave.
College football players have it worse.
/Duffy
15
T.E. Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:07 PM
Some former front office guy was on the radio the other day saying that owners really want an 18-game schedule not only for the extra revenue, but b/c it will help shorten some players’ careers and, as a result, the owners will not have to dole out as many second contracts (generally very lucrative). I was shocked b/c usually billionaire CEOs are such good, caring people.
16
kaiserwilhelmreems Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:08 PM
I don’t see coming a cultural sea change regarding how the game on the field is played. I don’t believe America will support the type of game that would minimize the injury risk.
don’t forget, the rule changes now aren’t what’s going to change the game. the safety implementations in the lower levels like college, high school and pop warner to institute concussion awareness and what not will have the real impact 10-15 years down the line.
it will be gradual, and easier for the violence lusting public to swallow.
17
YYSA Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:10 PM
Some former front office guy was on the radio the other day saying that owners really want an 18-game schedule not only for the extra revenue, but b/c it will help shorten some players’ careers and, as a result, the owners will not have to dole out as many second contracts (generally very lucrative). I was shocked b/c usually billionaire CEOs are such good, caring people.
I believe everything I hear on the radio as well.
18
Jason Lisk Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:11 PM
Lisk, how’s the commenter mock coming? When can we expect to see it up?
I believe I have all the picks in. I have to edit some of the comments and get those put in, get the post ready. Either this afternoon or monday depending on what other news comes in today.
19
kaiserwilhelmreems Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:14 PM
[Gravatar image]
Some former front office guy was on the radio the other day saying that owners really want an 18-game schedule not only for the extra revenue, but b/c it will help shorten some players’ careers and, as a result, the owners will not have to dole out as many second contracts (generally very lucrative). I was shocked b/c usually billionaire CEOs are such good, caring people.
there’s probably 1 or 2 Scrooge McDucks out there who think this way, but their teams are probably in the perennial discussion of cellar dwellers b/c i have no idea how anyone can run a successful company with such regard to their money makers.
20
sousedbergin Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:14 PM
College football players have it worse.
/Duffy
No one would dispute that.
The only complaint I have is the bullshit health pandering Goddell is doing presently under the pretense of player safety.
/When they came for the Hit Stick and Jacked up I said nothing..
21
Some Random Old Dude Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:14 PM
you know, kaiser, I get your point. I really do. And, I hope you are 100% correct.
I think there is a real gulf between the parent watching his/her kid playing Pop Warner or high school & watching Ray Lewis blow up a RB on Sunday.
One, most of those rule changes at the lower levels more affect kids that will never play at the pro level.
Two, I guess (guess, I say) that the league’s front offices & coaches will still value strength, size, leverage, disregard for one’s own body/”playing through pain”, etc.
I look forward to seeing the attempt at cultural change. I just think there will be a huge backlash. Even the media will sound self-contradictory. We want “safety”, but we want “violence” equally.
22
Clayton Cargill Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:15 PM
I have to edit some of the comments and get those put in, get the post ready
leave in the part about Joe Flacco’s fingers smelling like poop. It’s relevant to the draft choice.
23
GloriousMullet Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:15 PM
I have to edit some of the comments and get those put in, get the post ready.
EDIT POSTS? HOW DARE YOU
24
ms621 Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Either this afternoon or monday depending on what other news comes in today.
I’ve heard this before.
/nods at spencer
25
St. Bear Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:20 PM
I believe I have all the picks in. I have to edit some of the comments and get those put in, get the post ready. Either this afternoon or monday depending on what other news comes in today.
I don’t understand why spencer is allowed to say faggy in the comments, but once it goes in a post, everyone gets all up in arms.
26
HtownHacker Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:21 PM
I don’t understand why spencer is allowed to say faggy in the comments,
Speaking for myself, it doesn’t bother me in the least either way.
27
St. Bear Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:23 PM
Also, moving forward, I won’t take any player complaining about concussions seriously unless they opted to wear the anti-concussion helmet. If it matters that much to you, you need to take as much precaution as you can, even if it’s not 100% perfect.
28
Gerard Portmanteau Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:23 PM
College football players have it worse.
/Every sportswriter on the internet
Fixed for groupthink.
As a rule, if you’re looking for a professional cohort with a more skewed and unrealistic view of money in academics, you’re shit out of luck.
29
Gerard Portmanteau Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:23 PM
durned quotefail
30
spencer096 Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:26 PM
I don’t understand why spencer is allowed to say faggy in the comments, but once it goes in a post, everyone gets all up in arms.
what post was this?
31
St. Bear Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:28 PM
what post was this?
None. It was a poor attempt at a joke.
32
ms621 Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:28 PM
what post was this?
A faggy one no doubt.
33
Clayton Cargill Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:29 PM
None. It was a poor attempt at a joke.
by a faggy fag, at that
34
mrejr8234 comes for the sports posts but stays to kill the local inhabitants Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:30 PM
“Mr Schobel(and any other person suing the NFL) why aren’t you suing your high school athletic commission, your high school, the NCAA, and your college? Did you not receive any head injuries there?”
/case dismissed
35
spencer096 Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:30 PM
/missed joke
//fuck being busy at work
36
Jason Lisk Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:32 PM
I’ve heard this before.
/nods at spencer
A post we worked on comparing QB’s to famous generals. Someday, man, someday. It’s like Joe Posnanski’s iPad review. I still have our notes.
37
ms621 Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:35 PM
A post we worked on comparing QB’s to famous generals. Someday, man, someday. It’s like Joe Posnanski’s iPad review. I still have our notes.
If the time to write it does appear on the horizon again someday, let us know as we can probably refine our insights and make some new comparisons. Plus I could talk about that subject all day long.
38
spencer096 Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:35 PM
mark sanchez = generally shitty
/randomly hurled insult
39
Clayton Cargill Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:37 PM
mark sanchez = generally shitty
/randomly hurled insult
he lance corporaled Scotty McKnight
40
St. Bear Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:37 PM
None. It was a poor attempt at a joke.
by a faggy fag, at that
Wrong Boston fan.
/now it’s a hate crime
41
kaiserwilhelmreems Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:39 PM
I look forward to seeing the attempt at cultural change. I just think there will be a huge backlash. Even the media will sound self-contradictory. We want “safety”, but we want “violence” equally.
yeah, it will be interesting, however, the league can always tell the people who pay to use the content in highlights the explosive, over the top violent or dangerous hits should not be glorified.
similar to how ESPN gave up the “Jacked Up” segment after the league had issues with the contradictory element of promoting safety and glorifying the violence.
part of it is the NFL highlights and coverage as well. The NFLN is the only one out there who actually covers the games in detail, rather than just showing 10 seconds per game with catchy and witty one liners about the players involved.
42
ms621 Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:39 PM
he lance corporaled Scotty McKnight
Nicely done.
43
Some Random Old Dude Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:41 PM
kaiser, let’s meet here 20 years from now and see if the changes take root. First beverage is on me.
44
sousedbergin Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:44 PM
mark sanchez = generally shitty
/randomly hurled insult
he lance corporaled Scotty McKnight
He’s successfully recruiting Tebow to a sinful abominable lifestyle.
45
Gerard Portmanteau Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:47 PM
mark sanchez = generally shitty
/randomly hurled insult
he lance corporaled Scotty McKnight
He’s successfully recruiting Tebow to a sinful abominable lifestyle.
That locker room’s gonna be nothing but Glee on DVR and Hummel Figurine collections by week 4.
46
kaiserwilhelmreems Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 12:47 PM
kaiser, let’s meet here 20 years from now and see if the changes take root. First beverage is on me.
sounds good to me, hope i can afford the $35 bud ultra light bottles and don’t sound creepy posting on the USAToday/Yahoo Sports/MSNBC joint venture bigleadsports.com blog looking for Some Random Old Dude to have a drink with.
the youth will not understand.
47
got_em_looking Says:
April 20th, 2012 at 1:13 PM
I don’t believe America will support the type of game that would minimize the injury risk.
This. Safe (where safety is defined as say the NBA experience) football as we know it is an oxymoron. I know it, you know it, Big Red knows it. All these peripheral rule changes and emphasis on safety are window dressing. Like my pops used to say… you don’t climb trees to get to the moon son.