National Football League

Lawsuit filed in Miss. over NFL concussions

Published Sep. 19, 2012 5:01 p.m. ET

foxsports

A federal lawsuit filed in Mississippi on behalf of more than 50 former NFL players claims the league conspired to hide the dangers of concussions and brain trauma associated with professional football.

The lawsuit was filed Aug. 28 in U.S. District Court in Jackson. Some of the players named in the lawsuit are from Mississippi, but others are not. More than 140 similar lawsuits have been filed around the county on behalf of 3,377 former players.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy says the ''NFL has long made player safety a priority'' and that any ''allegation that the NFL intentionally sought to mislead players has no merit.''

Among other things, the lawsuit claims the NFL created ''false scientific studies'' and spread misinformation about the long-term consequences of concussions and other brain injuries.