Football fans in Texas may be interested to learn that three former professional football players have filed a complained against the National Football League. The retired players, who have played on teams all across the country, are suing for personal injury damages as well as to establish a program for monitoring brain injuries. Claims like these were filed earlier this year in federal court in Philadelphia and in state court in Los Angeles.

According to the players, the NFL knew or should have known that brain injuries from years of playing can put players at risk of developing degenerative brain diseases in the future. The players asked a federal court in Manhattan for a declaration, seeking to represent all retired NFL players in the United States.

The three players are in their 60s and 70s, and two of their wives are also named as plaintiffs. The men claim they suffered brain injuries as a result of the chronic blows to the head during practices and games. In return, the NFL claims safety is their top priority and has been for a long time, and that any allegations from these players have no merit.

The retired men have a long track record as professional football players. Two of the players have played for three different NFL teams each for 11 years, one as a linebacker-defensive end and another as a linebacker-defensive end. The third player was part of the New York Jets for 12 years, playing as a wide receiver and tight end.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle, "NFL Sued by Retired Players for Brain-Injury Monitoring," Bob Van Voris and Thom Weidlich, Dec. 21, 2011