Michael Oher says lawsuit against Tuohy family not about money

Michael Oher says his reason for filing the lawsuit against Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy was not based on financial gain.

In a new interview published by New York Times Magazine On Sunday, August 18, more than a year after the lawsuit was first filed, the professional athlete whose life inspired him announced his… The Blind SideO’Hare, 38, says money wasn’t the motive behind his lawsuit against Sean and Lee Ann Tuohy, the couple who adopted him in high school. O’Hare, whose lawsuit ended the Tuohys’ conservatorship of him, alleges they lied about his adoption while making millions off his name.

He told him he had his own money. Times.

“I worked hard for that moment when I finished playing, and saved my money so I could enjoy the time,” he said. New York Times“I have millions of dollars. I’m fine.”

According to Over the CapAccording to a website that tracks NFL salaries, the Super Bowl champion earned $34 million from the three NFL teams he played for.

the The Blind Side The film grossed $309.2 million at the box office after its release in 2009 and won multiple awards, including an Academy Award for Sandra Bullock and a Golden Globe for her portrayal of the Tuohy family matriarch, Lee Anne.

Before it made it to the big screen, the story began as a book by Michael Lewis — though O’Hare told New York Times I have painted a painful and inaccurate “narrative” about him.

In legal documents obtained earlier by People magazine, the Tuohys said they agreed to distribute the proceeds from The Blind Side A book and a movie were released before Oher retired from playing in the NFL.

“The family, including Mr. Ohr, reached an oral agreement to split the book proceeds and the film proceeds equally. Mr. Ohr received and accepted one-fifth (1/5) of the total payments through 2016, after which his share was deposited into an account for the benefit of his son,” the March 2024 document states.

During his in-depth interview with New York TimesOher admitted that living with the Tuohy family in Tennessee was “awesome” because the wealthy family bought him clothes and even hired a private tutor so he would be eligible to play college football — among other things.

“I had a bed to stay in, I was eating well, and they brought me a truck,” he continued.

But O’Hare did not attend the film’s premiere, feeling conflicted by the way he was “portrayed” in both the book and the drama, which he believed portrayed him as “stupid.” When he finally saw the film about a month later, he said, “I wasn’t moved by it.”

Oher said his portrayal in the film made others question his intelligence, and it cost him a higher position in the recruiting process.

“People in the NFL were wondering if I could read the playbook,” he said.

“I started seeing things that suggested I was stupid. I was stupid. Every article about me said it.” The Blind Side“It’s like it’s part of my name,” he added of the social media boom.

Oher, who has since married and had children, was afraid of how people might view his family.

“If my kids can’t do something in class, will their teacher think, ‘Their dad is stupid – is that why they don’t understand?’” he said.

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The former soccer star said he waited more than a decade to file the lawsuit because he was focused on his career.

“Professional football is a tough profession. You have to be 100 percent into it. I agreed with their story because I really had to focus on my NFL career, not things off the field,” he said.

The Tuohys had previously established a conservatorship for Oher, giving them control over his finances and major life decisions, despite the fact that he had no known disabilities, as required by Tennessee law.

The Tuohys claimed in a 2023 filing that they had “not signed any contract” on Oher’s behalf since his conservatorship began.

One month after the retired NFL star filed his lawsuit in Shelby County, Tennessee, in August 2023, Probate Court Judge Kathleen Gomez dissolved the conservatorship that Sean and Lee Ann had established when Oher turned 18.