Former Pittsburgh Steelers Kevin Henry and Najeh Davenport file lawsuit against NFL
On Wednesday, ABC News broke the story that former Pittsburgh Steelers Kevin Henry and Najeh Davenport have filed a lawsuit against the NFL.
Henry and Davenport are alleging that the NFL uses race as a factor when deciding if a player is compensated for head injuries during their career. The former Steelers players believe that the NFL discriminates against black players who are filing dementia-related claims.
With everything that is happening in the United States today, this could not have come at a worse time for the NFL. NFL fans are already questioning where the organization stands on racial injustice.
This lawsuit by Kevin Henry and Najeh Davenport could have a huge impact on how fans and players view the NFL. The big question is, how does the NFL handle this situation?
How Henry and Davenport got to the point of a lawsuit against the NFL
The former Pittsburgh Steelers feel that the NFL makes it more difficult for black athletes to earn compensation for concussions they suffered. The lawsuit states that the NFL had a separate criterion for judging how concussions impacted black and white players. Henry and Davenport felt that the criteria for the white athletes made it easier for them to receive benefits.
Both players spoke with the New York Times about the situation and stated that they took their concerns to Cy Smith, who is the lead counsel for NFL players.
Smith released his own statement through the New York Times.
"The NFL's administration of the settlement created a black door and a white door for benefits, in which former players with identical test scores get different treatment solely on the basis of race," read the statement.
Cy Smith would go on to say the following in his statement:
"This approach was not required by the settlement and the NFL is fully aware of its discriminatory impact on black players. The NFL has a choice to make; live up to its word and treat black players like their lives matter or continue pushing them aside."
These statements made by Cy Smith have the potential to cause a lot of problems for the NFL going forward. More players come potentially come forward and address the situation. Roger Goodell and the NFL will need to handle this sensitive issue very carefully.
If the NFL wants to make this right, then they need to come to an agreement with Henry and Davenport. It is only a matter of time before other players begin to comment on the situation. The NFL needs to stand behind what they are pushing in the media regarding social injustice and make things right with Henry and Davenport.