Former Washington Redskins defensive end Dexter Manley, dubbed the “Secretary of Defense” for the vicious hits he delivered, has joined the torrent of ex-players suing the NFL over concussions sustained during their careers.
Manley is one of 38 plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed last week in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, according to court documents reviewed by The Washington Times.
He’s the fourth member of the Redskins’ Ring of Fame to sue, joining Len Hauss, Billy Kilmer and Art Monk, among over 200 ex-Redskins in the lawsuits. Last week, former Redskins running back Stephen Davis detailed the memory loss he attributed to concussions that forced him to use a tape recorder to remember basic conversations and led him to sue.
There are now 106 lawsuits covering 2,711 ex-players.
The lawsuit, like many of them, doesn’t detail Manley’s alleged injuries, but alleges the NFL concealed the long-term effects of concussions. The NFL’s boilerplate response is the lawsuits are without merit and player safety has always been a priority.
“I had a 12 and a half hour brain surgery in 2006, and I’m recovering … and that’s related to football,” Manley said in a brief telephone interview.
Manley, who underwent the surgery to remove a cyst, otherwise declined comment on the lawsuit.
Over nine seasons with the Redskins, Manley won two Super Bowls and earned a spot in the 1986 Pro Bowl after recording 18.5 sacks. In 1991, he was banned from the NFL for repeated drug violations.
Manley’s hits built his reputation, including knocking out Dallas Cowboys quarterback Danny White in the 1982 NFC Championship game. White, incidentally, is also suing the NFL over concussions.
• Nathan Fenno can be reached at nfenno@washingtontimes.com.
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