Dan Marino Withdraws from Concussion Suit
Just twenty-four hours after being named in a concussion suit against the National Football League, Hall of Famer Dan Marino backtracks and pulls out of the legal issue.
In his statement, Marino claims that it was a simple case of misunderstanding and that a source confirmed to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that Marino being named as one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit was an "error" and his lawyers are working to withdraw his name.
"Within the last year I authorized a claim to be filed on my behalf just in case I needed future medical coverage to protect me and my family in the event I later suffered from the effects of head trauma," Marino said in a statement made Tuesday evening clarifying his involvement in the suit. "In so doing I did not realize I would be automatically listed as a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the NFL. I have made the decision it is not necessary for me to be part of any claims or this lawsuit and therefore I am withdrawing as a plaintiff effective immediately. I am sympathetic to other players who are seeking relief who may have suffered head injuries. I also disclaim any references in the form complaint of current head injuries."
The withdrawal of Marino from the suit comes as he is actively in talks with his former team, the Miami Dolphins, to return in some capacity with the team. Speculation is ripe that his involvement in the suit has potentially damaged the negotiations and his withdrawal from the case is a sign that the former quarterback did not want to jeopardize his opportunity with the Dolphins.
Marino, 52, was one of 15 players who filed a lawsuit in federal court in Philadelphia last week and the said number joined around more than 4,800 others who have accused the NFL of misleading its players about the long-term damages of concussions in the sport. The NFL has continued to deny these claims.