Ex-Broncos player who sued NFL over devastating injury he suffered on sideline agrees settlement

Ex-Broncos player who sued NFL over devastating injury he suffered on sideline agrees settlement

Former Denver Broncos linebacker Aaron Patrick has reportedly reached an undisclosed settlement with the NFL over a devastating knee injury he suffered in 2022 on a crowded sideline at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.   

Patrick was attempting to tackle Chargers punt returner DeAndre Carter when his momentum carried him out of bounds and into an unidentified sideline worker. Exacerbating the situation was a narrow black carpet that caught Patrick’s left cleat during the collision.

His agent, Lamont Smith, told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero at the time that the carpet may have contributed to his client’s season-ending knee injury.

‘I was very disturbed about the way the injury occurred with the carpet being on the sideline like that,’ Smith said in the text message. 

‘His cleat got lodged in the carpet trying to avoid the media person.’

The suit, filed in California by attorney William Berman, claimed ‘the defendants were negligent in their operations of SOFI STADIUM in allowing a dangerous condition to exist by having three mats placed near the sideline to cover cords/cables that led to the feed for the instant NFL’s replay monitor.’

Patrick was attempting to tackle Chargers punt returner DeAndre Carter when his momentum carried him out of bounds and into an unidentified sideline worker Exacerbating the situation was a narrow black carpet that caught Patrick's left cleat during the collision

With the Broncos on the road in Inglewood, California , Patrick was attempting to tackle Chargers punt returner DeAndre Carter when his momentum carried him out of bounds and into an unidentified sideline worker. Exacerbating the situation was a narrow black carpet that caught Patrick’s left cleat during the collision

Aaron Patrick (94) of the Denver Broncos lies on the ground after colliding with a middle-aged sideline worker during overtime of the Los Angeles Chargers 19-16 win at SoFi Stadium

Aaron Patrick (94) of the Denver Broncos lies on the ground after colliding with a middle-aged sideline worker during overtime of the Los Angeles Chargers 19-16 win at SoFi Stadium

Aaron Patrick was an undrafted free agent who has not played in the NFL since his injury

Aaron Patrick was an undrafted free agent who has not played in the NFL since his injury

Read More Broncos linebacker Aaron Patrick suffers season-ending knee injury colliding with sideline worker and getting his cleat caught on a carpet: Agent say he is ‘very disturbed’ by the way the incident occurred article image

Berman said that safety at SoFi Stadium wasn’t a priority of the NFL.

DailyMail.com has reached out to both Berman and an NFL spokesman for comment. TMZ was the first to report the settlement.  

This is hardly the first injury resulting from the many physical dangers encircling NFL playing fields.

Las Vegas Raiders safety Johnathan Abram injured his shoulder and collarbone when he ran into a television cart during a 2020 game. 

Previously, in 2015, then-San Francisco 49ers running back Reggie Bush slipped on slick concrete at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis and suffered a season-ending knee injury. Bushed sued the Rams, who now have since moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles, and ultimately won $12.45 million in damages.

But the impact of Patrick’s injury may have been far more disastrous, financially speaking.

While the other players had already made millions in the NFL, Patrick was an undrafted free agent whose $825,000 salary wasn’t guaranteed. Including his final season, he earned just $1.4 million in his brief career, and he has remained unsigned since the injury. 

Related Posts

Golden Tate lifts the lid on bitter on-field family feud with rival Jalen Ramsey over his pregnant sister

Golden Tate lifts the lid on bitter on-field family feud with rival Jalen Ramsey over his pregnant sister

Former NFL star Golden Tate has opened up on his bitter on-field family feud with rival Jalen Ramsey, who previously dated the wide receiver’s twin sister, Breanna…

Golden Tate lifts the lid on bitter on-field family feud with rival Jalen Ramsey over his pregnant sister

Golden Tate lifts the lid on bitter on-field family feud with rival Jalen Ramsey over his pregnant sister

Former NFL star Golden Tate has opened up on his bitter on-field family feud with rival Jalen Ramsey, who previously dated the wide receiver’s twin sister, Breanna…

NFL star Ben Cleveland’s estranged wife hits back over adultery allegations after he filed for divorce

NFL star Ben Cleveland’s estranged wife hits back over adultery allegations after he filed for divorce

NFL star Ben Cleveland’s estranged wife has adamantly denied his claims that she cheated on him.  The Baltimore Ravens lineman filed to divorce Kaitlyn Terrell Cleveland on…

Fans split over Travis Hunter viral clip as Jaguars teammate appears to scold rookie for dancing at practice

Fans split over Travis Hunter viral clip as Jaguars teammate appears to scold rookie for dancing at practice

Jacksonville Jaguars star rookie Travis Hunter is raising eyebrows at organized team activities (OTAs), and not necessarily for the right reasons. The Heisman Trophy winner who plays…

Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones breaks his silence and slams ‘overzealous policing’ after latest arrest

Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones breaks his silence and slams ‘overzealous policing’ after latest arrest

The agent for retired NFL star Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones has accused Northern Kentucky of abusing their authority and declared his client’s innocence after the former Bengals cornerback…

Ex-Cowboys cornerback Kelvin Joseph arrested, charged in fatal car crash

Ex-Cowboys cornerback Kelvin Joseph arrested, charged in fatal car crash

Former Cowboys cornerback Kelvin Joseph was arrested Saturday morning and is facing a felony charge in Texas after his alleged involvement in a fatal car crash, according…